Hyderabad’s batting unit unleashed an all-out assault from the outset after being invited to bat first, with Kishan leading the charge following explosive cameos from Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head
Ishan Kishan (Pic: AFP)
A scintillating unbeaten 94 by Ishan Kishan propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad to a daunting total of 231 for six against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL 2025 clash on Friday. Hyderabad’s batting unit unleashed an all-out assault from the outset after being invited to bat first, with Kishan leading the charge following explosive cameos from Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head.
The dynamic opening duo, affectionately dubbed ‘Travi-shek’, launched an early onslaught, racing to a 54-run stand in just four overs. Abhishek smashed a brisk 34 off 17 balls, while Head added 17 off 10, dismantling the RCB new-ball attack led by Yash Dayal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In particular, Bhuvneshwar's second over yielded 18 runs, including a boundary from Head, followed by a six and a four from Abhishek.
However, just as their partnership threatened to spiral out of control, Lungi Ngidi struck to remove Abhishek, who flicked one straight into the hands of Phil Salt at square leg. Head soon followed, mistiming a knuckle ball from Bhuvneshwar to Romario Shepherd at mid-circle.
Despite the early fireworks, the middle-order struggled with ill-timed aggression. Heinrich Klaasen (24 off 13) and Aniket Verma (26 off 9) offered brief resistance, stitching together valuable partnerships of 48 and 43 runs for the third and fourth wickets with Kishan. Klaasen was undone by a well-disguised googly from Suyash Sharma, which he lofted to Shepherd at long-on. Aniket’s promising cameo was cut short when he misjudged a slower short ball from Krunal Pandya, giving a simple catch to Bhuvneshwar.
Amidst the chaos, Kishan held firm, anchoring the innings with maturity and precision. The southpaw, who had been struggling for form since his early-century in the tournament, showcased his class with a measured innings. His 48-ball 94 was laced with seven boundaries and five sixes, paced with controlled aggression. A standout moment came in the 18th over, when he elegantly dispatched Bhuvneshwar for a six over long-off to bring up his first half-century in 10 matches, off 28 deliveries.
While Hyderabad’s innings ended on a high, there was concern for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as Tim David limped off the field in the final over with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, an ominous sign ahead of the playoffs.
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