IPL 2023: Rajasthan Royals thrash Sunrisers Hyderabad by 72 runs

Buttler, Jaiswal, Samson slam fifties while Chahal takes four as visitors hand hosts a 72-run loss

Hyderabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad’s campaign in the new season got off to a disastrous start as they suffered a humiliating 72-run loss against Rajasthan Royals in their opening encounter of the Indian Premier League, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Much to the disappointment of a packed Sunday crowd, the hosts’ new-look batting order failed to turn up on the day. Riding on blistering half-centuries from Jos Buttler (55 off 22 balls; 7×4, 3×6), Yashaswi Jaiswal (54 off 37; 9×4) and captain Sanju Samson (54 off 32; 3×4, 4×6), the visitors raked up 203/5 after being asked to bat first. In reply, Sunrisers were never in the chase as they ended up with an unimpressive 131/8 with Yuzvendra Chahal (4/17) and Trent Boult (2/21) dictating the terms.

---

Chasing the stiff target, hosts had the worst possible start losing two wickets in the first over. Trent Boult castled Abhishek Sharma’s stumps and then sent Rahul Tripathi for a duck when Jason Holder took a diving catch at slips.

The bowling was on the mark so much that Hyderabad managed just 30/2 in power play overs. It was a disappointing debut for SRH’s big buy Harry Brook who was bought for Rs 13.25 cr. Yuzvendra Chahal cleaned Brook (13 off 21; 1×4) in his first over. Holder then removed Washington Sundar cheaply in the ninth over. The dismissal of Mayank Agarwal (27 off 23; 3×4) off Chahal in the 11th over that reduced hosts to 52/6 in 11 overs, put paid to any hopes of chasing the target.

Earlier, Jos Buttler took Hyderabad bowlers to special liking hitting runs at will to take his side to the first 200-run total of the season. Having hit Bhuvneshwar for a six in the third over, Buttler welcomed Washington Sundar with two consecutive sixes as they reached 50 runs inside four overs. He then hit four fours, three on the trot, of Natarajan in the fifth over. By the end of power play, Royals were cruising at 73/0, their highest powerplay score.

Buttler was in no mood to slow down. He hit three boundaries off Afghan bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi to reach his half-century in just 20 balls. However, he missed a straighter delivery in the same over to be bowled when the team score was 85 in the sixth over.

Jaiswal, at the other end with captain Samson, kept the tempo going. The youngster took his side past 100 in the ninth over and reached half-century in 34 balls. Samson too made his presence felt hitting Umran for a couple of boundaries and a six.

Farooqi provided another breakthrough dismissing Jaiswal when the batter was holed out at deep mid-wicket in the 13th over. Despite losing Devdutt Paddikal and Riyan Parag cheaply, Samson reached his fifty before being dismissed in the 19th over. Shimron Hetmyer (22 off 16) took the visitors past 200-run mark. Farooqi, Natarajan returned with two wickets each.