Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) failed to replicate his IPL 2025’s campaign opener performance in their previous two matches as they suffered another defeat, this time at the hands of Delhi Capitals (DC) in Vizag on March 30. SRH set the bar high with their incredible 286-run performance against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their first match of the IPL 2025. However, their momentum has since taken a dip, as they’ve now suffered two consecutive defeats. The most recent one came against DC. The Men in Orange were bowled out for a total of just 163 runs in 18.4 overs, and the Capitals chased down that target comfortably with seven wickets and four overs to spare.
Pat Cummins unfazed by SRH’s back-to-back defeats in IPL 2025
Despite SRH’s back-to-back jolts, their captain Pat Cummins isn’t hitting the panic button just yet.
Talking about the match, chasing a target of 164, DC’s opening pair Faf du Plessis (50 off 27) and Jake Fraser McGurk (38 off 32) started cautiously, carefully playing out the first over against the in-form Mohammed Shami.
But the shackles were immediately removed in the second over as McGurk sent the ball flying over long-on for a six with a forceful slog scoop off Abhishek Sharma. The explosive combination of du Plessis and McGurk saw an opening and launched an offensive, intent on maximizing the powerplay and applying pressure to the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack. With his timeless and potent stroke play, Faf du Plessis punished Mohammed Shami to take the lead in scoring. He took 15 runs from the over after starting the third over with a spectacular six and then hitting two more boundaries in quick succession.
The scoring continued in bursts, and by the end of the powerplay, DC had accumulated a solid 52 runs. Faf du Plessis maintained his aggressive intent, immediately hitting Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins for a six and then a four right after the powerplay overs concluded. Faf du Plessis reached his half-century with a quick single and celebrated the milestone, but his joy was short-lived as he was dismissed in the very next over by Zeeshan Ansari. Despite this setback, Jake Fraser McGurk continued the aggressive approach, smashing a flurry of boundaries to ensure the over ended positively for DC.Following Faf du Plessis’s dismissal, Jake Fraser McGurk initially misjudged a googly from Ansari, but managed to get off the mark with a boundary courtesy of an inside edge on the very next delivery. He then found the boundary again, elegantly carving the ball through backward point. To finish the over with a flourish, he powerfully dispatched the ball over long-off for a six.
However, Ansari had the final say in the over, cleverly deceiving the Australian batsman and getting him to chip the ball back for an easy caught and bowled. McGurk’s somewhat shaky but impactful innings came to an end with a score of 38 off 32 balls.
Next in was KL Rahul, who briefly displayed his boundary-hitting prowess before his innings was cut short. Attempting a sweep shot, he missed the ball, which then went on to clip the bails, giving Ansari his second wicket of the day. Rahul departed for 15 runs.
Despite picking up wickets in quick succession, Hyderabad’s bowlers were still under pressure as Tristan Stubbs and Abhishek Porel took charge and attacked the bowling. Porel sealed the victory in style, swinging his bat powerfully to send the ball over the boundary for a maximum, securing a comfortable 7-wicket win for DC.
DC will next take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 5 at the MA Chidambaram stadium.
