Hyderabad, March 23, 2025 – The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium erupted in a frenzy of cheers as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) unleashed a batting masterclass, posting a mammoth 286 for 6 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their IPL 2025 clash on Sunday. The explosive display, driven by fiery performances from debutant Ishan Kishan and Travis Head, left the Royals with a mountain to climb in the second innings.
From the outset, SRH meant business. Openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma ignited the innings with a blistering powerplay, amassing 72 runs in just 5 overs. Head, in particular, was relentless, smashing 67 off 31 balls, including 9 fours and 3 sixes, before falling to Tushar Deshpande. Sharma contributed a quickfire 34 off 18, setting a perfect platform for the middle order to capitalize on.
Enter Ishan Kishan, the new SRH recruit, who turned the game into his personal stage. The wicketkeeper-batsman hammered a sensational 45-ball century, finishing unbeaten on 108* – a debut knock for the ages. Kishan’s assault featured 12 fours and 5 towering sixes, leaving the RR bowlers shell-shocked. Heinrich Klaasen chipped in with a late cameo of 28 off 12 balls, ensuring the run rate never dipped below 14 runs per over in the death.
Rajasthan Royals’ bowling unit struggled to find answers on a flat Hyderabad deck. Stand-in captain Riyan Parag’s decision to bowl first backfired as his bowlers bled runs. Jofra Archer, returning to IPL action, was taken apart by Kishan, conceding 22 in a single over. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Sandeep Sharma managed a couple of breakthroughs, but the damage was irreparable.
As the dust settled on SRH’s innings, the scoreboard read 286 for 6 – the second-highest total in IPL history, just one run shy of their own record of 287 set in 2024. The capacity crowd roared in approval, sensing a historic night at Uppal.
For Rajasthan Royals, the chase looms as a daunting task. With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag leading the batting line-up, they’ll need something extraordinary to overhaul SRH’s towering total. As the teams regrouped for the second innings, one thing was clear – Hyderabad had set the stage for an IPL classic. Can the Royals rise to the occasion, or will the Sunrisers bask in glory? The answer awaits under the floodlights.
