Seven losses in 10 games, veterans exposed and the inexperienced faltering; despite a slim mathematical chance to make the playoffs, obits have been written for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s limp campaign in IPL 2025.
With little to lose and the shackles of expectation lifted, SRH strung together a commendable performance with the ball. The host restricted Delhi Capitals to 133 for seven before rain washed out the fixture at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Monday.
After choosing to bowl on a red-soil surface devoid of grass, skipper Pat Cummins made the ball dance to his tunes from the get-go, removing the top order in his three overs within the PowerPlay.
Karun Nair’s rut continued, sent back off the very first ball of the innings. Faf du Plessis and Abishek Porel tried to negotiate Cummins and Jaydev Unadkat’s Test match lengths, but in vain.
SRH called on its experienced soldiers up front, with Harshal Patel tricking DC captain Axar Patel with a slower ball to leave the visitor reeling at 26 for four. Ishan Kishan’s safe gloves featured in three out of these four dismissals.
Looking to put the squeeze on Capitals, the Australian turned to Unadkat again in the eighth and the 33-year-old delivered instantly, drawing an edge from K.L. Rahul which Kishan pocketed without a fuss.
| SRH vs DC Highlights, IPL 2025
DC’s first six came in the tenth over, with Vipraj Nigam giving the handful of blue shirts among the 35,000-plus crowd something to cheer about.
That said, the inconsistent SRH one has grown accustomed to resurfaced, allowing Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma to settle. Their 66-run stand off 45 balls revived the innings to a respectable but well below-par mark before rain arrived, leaving an unsalvageable outfield when it eventually left.
Much like how the late evening shower gave locals a much-needed break from the sweltering heat, SRH managed its most impressive bowling performance yet to press pause on the disappointments of its run this season. The summer will make its presence felt the next day, as will the reality of SRH’s failures. But this performance should be one to remember, even if it ultimately went in vain.
