Sunrisers Hyderabad produced a stunning turnaround to halt Rajasthan Royals’ winning momentum, thanks to a dream debut from 24-year-old Praful Hinge. The Vidarbha pacer created history by picking up three wickets in his opening over, a feat never before seen in the IPL, leaving the Royals reeling from the outset.
Defending a commanding total of 216, built largely around Ishan Kishan’s blistering 91, Hyderabad found their breakthrough immediately. Hinge struck with his very first delivery, dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi without scoring. What followed was pure chaos for Rajasthan, as he added two more wickets in the same over, dismantling the top order within minutes.
At the other end, fellow debutant Sakib Hussain matched the intensity. He removed Yashasvi Jaiswal early, triggering a collapse that saw Rajasthan slump to 5 for 4 and then 9 for 5. Between them, the two newcomers returned remarkable figures of 8 for 58, effectively deciding the contest inside the powerplay.
Although the game seemed out of reach, Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira attempted a recovery. The pair stitched together a steady partnership, bringing up fifty runs and briefly restoring stability. Ferreira impressed with a well-crafted half century off 31 balls, showing composure against spin. However, with the required rate climbing steeply, their dismissals in quick succession ended any hopes of a comeback.
Earlier in the evening, Rajasthan had made a bright start with the ball, claiming an early wicket. But Kishan quickly seized control, attacking both pace and spin with authority. His innings included a series of towering sixes and fluent boundary strokes, while his partnership with Heinrich Klaasen added crucial momentum. Even after Klaasen’s departure, Kishan maintained the tempo before falling just short of a deserved century.
Late contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Salil Arora ensured Hyderabad crossed the 200 mark, which proved more than sufficient. Ultimately, the night belonged to the debutants, whose fearless bowling display stunned the table leaders and delivered a memorable victory.
