Gujarat Titans recorded a 38-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad, with contributions from Gill (76), Buttler (64), and Sai Sudharsan (48) leading them to a total of 224 for 6. Despite Abhishek’s impressive performance with 74 runs, Sunrisers Hyderabad were unable to catch up, as Prasidh (2-19) and Siraj (2-33) took key wickets to limit their opponent’s score to 186 for 6.
In yet another Gujarat Titans (GT) match, the question arises once more: how will they fare if their top three batsmen are dismissed early and Rashid Khan is left at No. 7? Today’s game saw Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, and B Sai Sudharsan dominate the bowling attack of a lackluster Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team, scoring a total of 224 runs on a sluggish black-soil pitch. As it stands, all three players are currently among the top four highest run-scorers in IPL 2025, with Sai Sudharsan reclaiming the Orange Cap thanks to his innings of 48 off just 23 deliveries.
In the previous game, GT was unable to hold off their opponents with a score of 209, which sparked some doubts. However, that total was considered average. SRH’s subpar performance in the beginning of the match gave GT an advantage in achieving a total that exceeded expectations. Despite Abhishek Sharma’s impressive 74 runs, GT’s bowlers persisted in delivering challenging lengths and limiting the success of SRH’s batters. In fact, Prasidh Krishna’s superb performance of bowling four overs for only 19 runs and taking two wickets earned him the Purple Cap for GT.
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Currently, GT occupies the second spot with 14 points, which is equal to MI, who are at the top of the table. However, GT has an extra game in their pocket. On the other hand, SRH faces a precarious situation where every remaining match is crucial for their playoff chances but there is no assurance of them making it through.
Sai Sudharsan and Gill both redeem their gift cards.
The GT template has been assessed for the initial three overs to determine the prevailing conditions. However, this does not imply a lack of appreciation for opportunities. Former GT player Mohammed Shami appeared slow and struggled to maintain his accuracy. Gill secured a six in the opening over, while Sai Sudharsan confidently executed five fours through cuts and pulls in the third over.
Furthermore, in his first over, Pat Cummins delivered three half-volleys, enabling Gill to keep pace with Sai Sudharsan. As a result, GT achieved their most successful powerplay of the season at 82 for 0, along with another unflattering record for SRH. Interestingly, out of those 82 runs, GT confidently executed 79 through their own shots – the third-highest so far this year. Notably, three out of the top four scores against SRH bowlers belong to GT.
Gill and Buttler continue to thrive.
Once the SRH bowlers began to figure out the situation, they required a complete collapse from their opponents in order to stage a comeback. However, they were only able to secure one wicket – that of Sai Sudharsan, who fell to Zeeshan Ansari’s wrong’un on a late cut. After two uneventful overs, Gill began expertly placing shots with pinpoint accuracy. He no longer needed any favors from his opponents. In fact, he even gifted SRH an opportunity when he intentionally slowed down in an attempt to take a routine single towards short fine leg.
SRH’s best stretch on the field highlighted the ensuing run-out. Cummins utilized the center of the pitch, subsequently emulated by Jaydev Unadkat, preventing any boundary in 17 balls. Buttler, who appeared to be struggling with the scorching 41-degree weather at the start of the game, eventually took a few chances and steered his team back on course. Out of GT’s top three batsmen, he faced the most challenging circumstances and bowling, resulting in a slower strike rate. However, his crucial 64 runs off just 37 balls played a pivotal role in GT achieving their high-scoring target that they had been threatening throughout the match.
Abhishek, hurry up; but is it fast enough?
Abhishek opened his innings with a dance down the track, sending Mohammed Siraj’s delivery soaring over wide long-off. Travis Head quickly followed suit, smashing his second ball through the covers for a boundary. While they did their best to take advantage of the new ball, their efforts only brought them to 45 runs without any wickets lost in four overs, leaving them struggling to keep up with the required run rate.
Prasidh was next to arrive.
Throughout the IPL, Prasidh has utilized a combination of hard lengths and varying speeds to secure a top spot in wicket-taking. However, on a low bounce pitch, he opted to eliminate his slower deliveries. Instead, he continuously targeted the middle of the pitch with his powerful release, causing difficulty for the opposing batters. Despite attempting one yorker early on, which Head was able to hit for a boundary, it was the only time Prasidh’s bowling was taken advantage of.
Head fell victim to a well-executed pull shot, resulting in a remarkable catch by Rashid Khan. The fielder ran an impressive 32 metres to his right from deep square-leg and even had to dive for the ball. The taller bowlers proceeded to effectively limit boundary opportunities from one end, leaving Abhishek as the lone contender. However, it is difficult to sustain a chase with such a massive total on the board.
The asking rate steadily increased as the match progressed, reaching 12 at the end of the powerplay, 13 by the ninth over, and 14 with ten overs remaining. In the 14th over bowled by Prasidh, it jumped from 14.57 to 16.33. However, as wickets began to fall, Rashid struggled with his bowling and ended up conceding 50 runs in just three overs – his worst economy in a match. This resulted in GT receiving a lower net-run-rate bonus for the night due to an off performance by Rashid.
