Debutants Hinge, Sakib Script SRH’s Stunning Win Over RR as Kishan Leads from the Front

Hyderabad, April 2026 : In a match that perfectly blended explosive batting with sensational fast bowling, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) outclassed table-toppers Rajasthan Royals (RR) with a commanding 53-run victory in the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. While skipper Ishan Kishan set the stage with a blazing 91, it was debutants Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain who stole the limelight with a combined haul of eight wickets to dismantle RR’s formidable batting lineup.

Put in to bat on a slightly tricky surface where the ball occasionally held up, SRH posted a formidable 216/6 in 20 overs. Kishan led from the front with a scintillating 44-ball 91, peppered with eight boundaries and six towering sixes. His innings was a masterclass in strokeplay — anything overpitched was dispatched through the off-side with precision, while short deliveries were punished with commanding pulls and hooks.

SRH’s innings began on a shaky note as Abhishek Sharma fell for a first-ball duck to Jofra Archer, silencing the home crowd momentarily. However, Kishan quickly counterattacked, turning the momentum with aggressive strokeplay. Travis Head struggled to find fluency and was eventually dismissed after a slow start, but Kishan ensured SRH maintained a brisk scoring rate.

The innings gained further momentum when Kishan stitched a rapid partnership with Heinrich Klaasen, who contributed a valuable 40 off 26 balls. Their stand came at a blistering pace, putting RR’s bowlers under immense pressure. Kishan reached his fifty in just 30 balls and continued to dominate, bringing up SRH’s hundred in style.

After Kishan fell just nine runs short of a well-deserved century, SRH continued the late surge. Nitish Kumar Reddy smashed a quickfire 28, including three massive sixes, while Salil Arora chipped in with an unbeaten 24, ensuring SRH crossed the 200-run mark comfortably.

Despite Jofra Archer picking up two wickets, RR’s bowling attack struggled to contain the run flow, with several bowlers conceding heavily.

Chasing a daunting target, RR’s innings unraveled dramatically in the opening overs, thanks to a dream debut spell from Hinge. The young pacer scripted history by becoming the first bowler in IPL history to take three wickets in the opening over of an innings. He dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius in quick succession, leaving RR in complete disarray.

From the other end, Sakib Hussain added to the carnage by removing Yashasvi Jaiswal, as RR slumped to a shocking 9/5 within the first three overs. Hinge continued his impressive spell by dismissing RR skipper Riyan Parag, finishing with remarkable figures of 4/34.

With the match virtually sealed, Donovan Ferreira and Ravindra Jadeja provided some resistance, stitching together a 118-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Ferreira scored a fighting 69, while Jadeja added 45, helping RR avoid an embarrassing collapse.

However, their efforts only delayed the inevitable. Sakib returned to break the partnership with a clever slower delivery and went on to pick up four wickets for 24 runs, showcasing composure beyond his experience. Eshan Malinga chipped in with two wickets as RR were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs.

SRH’s bold decision to field two debutant pacers in place of experienced campaigners proved to be a masterstroke. Hinge, who hails from Nagpur, and Sakib from Bihar’s Gopalganj, announced their arrival in grand fashion on the IPL stage.

The emphatic win not only halted RR’s winning streak but also boosted SRH’s campaign, lifting them to fourth place on the points table. It was a performance that underlined SRH’s depth, resilience, and ability to back young talent under pressure.

With both bat and ball clicking in unison, SRH have sent a strong message to the rest of the league — they are well and truly in the race for the title.

Brief Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 216/6 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 91, Heinrich Klaasen 40; Jofra Archer 2-37, Riyan Parag 1-5) beat Rajasthan Royals 159 in 19 overs (Donovan Ferreira 69, Ravindra Jadeja 45; Sakib Hussain 4-24, Praful Hinge 4-34) by 57 runs