Sports Desk
23 March
Sandeep Dhand
Journalist & Research Analysist
Sunrisers Hyderabad started their IPL campaign in style, defeating Rajasthan Royals by 44 runs, thanks to Ishan Kishan’s explosive century. His unbeaten 106 off just 47 balls overshadowed the efforts of Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel, who fought hard for Rajasthan.
Batting first, Hyderabad posted a massive 286/6 in 20 overs, the second-highest total in IPL history. Travis Head also played a blistering knock, scoring 67 off 31 balls. Contributions from Abhishek Sharma (24), Nitish Reddy (30), and Heinrich Klaasen (34) helped Hyderabad reach the big total. Kishan and Head stitched together an 85-run stand in just 39 balls, smashing 20 fours and 9 sixes between them. Rajasthan’s Tushar Deshpande picked up three wickets, while Maheesh Theekshana took two.
The highest-ever IPL total also belongs to Hyderabad when they scored 287/3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru last season.
Chasing 287, Rajasthan never looked in control. Despite early struggles, they managed to put up a fight and finished at 242/6 in 20 overs. Skipper Sanju Samson scored 66, while Dhruv Jurel played an impressive knock of 70 runs, but their efforts were not enough to pull off the chase. Hyderabad’s bowlers kept things tight, ensuring a comfortable victory.
With this dominant win, Sunrisers Hyderabad have made a strong statement in the tournament, and Ishan Kishan’s stunning century will be remembered for a long time.