Debutants Dhamaka: Sunrisers Hyderabad stun Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs

Ishan Kishan’s 91 and debutant pacers Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain’s four wickets each powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a 57‑run win over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, ending their losing run

Hyderabad: Ishan Kishan’s brilliance (91, 44b, 8×4, 6×6) and a sensational first over by debutant fast bowler Praful Hinge, who struck thrice, helped former champions Sunrisers Hyderabad rediscover winning ways with a 57‑run win against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL league match at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Monday.

The 24‑year‑old Praful Hinge from Vidarbha first prized out Vaibhav Suryavanshi (0) with a short ball, then saw in‑form Dhruv Jurel (0) play on to the stumps before forcing Lhuandre Pretorius (0) to pull one straight to deep square‑leg (3/1), triggering celebrations in the stands.

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Chasing 217, Royals were rocked by Hinge. There was more trouble as debutant pacer and Impact Sub, 21‑year‑old Sakib Hussain of Bihar, forced Yashasvi Jaiswal (1) to slash straight to deep point in the second over.

Hinge struck again in the third over, forcing captain Riyan Parag (4) to nick to slip, making it 5/9.

Though Ravindra Jadeja (45, 32b, 5×4) and Donovan Ferreira (69, 44b, 7×4, 3×6) put on a fighting 118‑run stand for the sixth wicket off 72 balls before Sakib broke the partnership by deceiving Ferreira with a slower one, they only delayed the inevitable. Royals were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs.

Sunrisers’ gamble of resting Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel worked as Hinge and Sakib, who took four wickets each, raised the bar with a terrific show.

Earlier, Ishan Kishan led from the front to help Sunrisers score 216 for six in 20 overs after being put in to bat, even as opener Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a first‑ball duck by Jofra Archer.

At the other end, Ishan whipped Archer to the fine‑leg fence and then pulled for a huge six in the same over.

Later, Royals captain and off‑spinner Riyan Parag induced Travis Head (18) to hit straight to long‑on, making it 55/2 in 6.5 overs.

Heinrich Klaasen (40, 26b, 1×4, 3×6) lofted Ravi Bishnoi over long‑on and, in the same over, Ishan swung one into the stands to reach his half‑century (55, 30b, 2×4, 5×6). Sunrisers were 88 for two at the halfway stage.

Ishan continued to dominate, hitting Tushar Deshpande for three fours and a six in the 11th over. He then targeted Archer for three fours in the 13th over. But in the next over, Ishan missed a century when Sandeep Sharma dismissed him, taking a difficult skier off a mistimed pull.

Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with another handy contribution (28, 13b, 4×6), pulling Deshpande for a six and then hitting three sixes in the 18th over off Sandeep before edging one from Archer to the wicketkeeper in the 19th over.

A cameo by wicketkeeper‑batter Salil Arora (24, 13b, 2×4, 2×6) propped the total in the slog overs.