SRH posted a mammoth 286/6 on the board in their IPL 2025 opener.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins was effusive in praise of his batters, saying that he would not want to bowl to them.
Cummins’ statement came after his team registered a thumping 44-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) to kick-off their IPL 2025 campaign on Sunday (March 23).
Invited to bat first, SRH got off to a blistering start as the dynamic duo of Abhishek Sharma (24 off 11) and Travis Head (67 off 31) added 45 runs for the opening wicket in just 3.1 overs.
Ishan Kishan had the perfect platform and he continued the onslaught with a top-notch century (106* off 47), propelling Sunrisers to a mammoth 286/6 in 20 overs.
“I wouldn’t be wanting to bowl to our boys. Unbelievable. That was scary," Cummins said after the match, as quoted by IANS.
“You know it’s going to be tough (for the bowlers) but when you get such a big score, one over can win you. We have been able to keep the core of the side together. Ishan today was incredible. Just trying to play with freedom. The preparation has been amazing, our coaches have been amazing. The boys created a blueprint for how to play for the rest of the year," he added.
Chasing the target, RR batters also made the most of the flat Hyderabad pitch, with half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel and quick cameos from Shubham Dubey and Shimron Hetmyer. However, SRH managed to restrict the Royals to 242/6.
Kishan earned the Player of the Match award for his whirlwind hundred. It was a big moment for him after a difficult last year which saw him lose the BCCI central contract as well as his place in the national side.
“To be very honest, the nervousness was there," Kishan said after collecting his award. “I won’t deny that. But looking at the squad and looking at the team, especially Pat and the coach, they gave a lot of confidence before the game. The environment is so calm and composed, you know you just have to go in and believe in yourself like what’s supposed to be done at that point of time.”
“I just enjoyed my time in the middle. (Preparation) I got a lot of time in between, I was practising very hard, worked on my batting also. Overall, the preparation was very good. I am feeling confident," he added.