Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) kicked off their IPL 2025 campaign in spectacular fashion, dismantling Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 44 runs in a run-fest at Hyderabad. Powered by Ishan Kishan’s explosive debut century, SRH posted a mammoth 286/6—the second-highest total in IPL history—leaving RR with a mountain too steep to climb.
In his first appearance for SRH, Ishan Kishan made an emphatic statement. Coming in at No. 3, he launched a breathtaking assault on the Royals’ bowling attack. After a steady start by openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who put on 45 runs in just 19 balls, Kishan took centre stage.
The left-hander was ruthless against both pace and spin, racing to a 25-ball fifty. He then accelerated further, needing only 20 more deliveries to bring up his maiden IPL century. His 45-ball 100 was packed with power and precision, peppered with 12 fours and 6 sixes. Kishan’s seamless adaptation to SRH’s aggressive blueprint made it clear why he was a marquee signing.
Before Kishan’s fireworks, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma provided SRH with a flying start. Abhishek was the early aggressor, smashing 24 off just 11 balls before falling to Maheesh Theekshana. Head, however, continued the carnage. His 67 off 31 deliveries kept the scoreboard ticking at a frantic pace.
Head and Kishan’s 85-run partnership off just 38 balls put RR firmly on the back foot. The sheer relentlessness of SRH’s power-hitting saw them plunder 94 runs in the powerplay—the fifth-highest in IPL history.
