Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins believes his team has established a blueprint for the rest of the Indian Premier League 2025 season following their commanding 44-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR).

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Batting first, SRH put up a staggering total of 286/6—just one shy of the highest-ever IPL score—thanks to a scintillating maiden IPL century from Ishan Kishan. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed an unbeaten 106 off 47 balls, peppering the boundary with 11 fours and six sixes. Travis Head complemented the onslaught with a rapid 67 off 31 balls, featuring nine fours and three sixes.

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Despite a valiant effort from Rajasthan, who managed 242/6 in their 20 overs, they fell short in the high-scoring contest. Sanju Samson (66 off 38) and Dhruv Jurel (70 off 38) provided resistance with a 111-run stand for the fourth wicket, but their efforts weren’t enough to overhaul the mammoth target.

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'I wouldn't want to bowl to our boys'

Cummins, speaking after the match, praised his team’s batting firepower and Kishan’s special knock.

"I wouldn't want to bowl to our boys. That was scary. We knew it would be tough for the bowlers, but with such a big score, one over can change the game. Ishan was incredible today. We’ve been trying to play with freedom, and our preparation has been fantastic. The boys have set a template for how we want to approach the rest of the tournament," he said.

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Rajasthan’s chase got off to a rocky start, losing Yashasvi Jaiswal (1), stand-in captain Riyan Parag (4), and Nitish Rana (11) within the first five overs. However, Samson and Jurel revived hopes with their aggressive stroke play. Samson reached his fifty in 26 balls, while Jurel brought up his half-century in 28.

Just when RR looked back in the game, Harshal Patel dismissed Samson in the 14th over, followed by Adam Zampa sending Jurel back in the next. Despite late fireworks from Shimron Hetmyer (42 off 23) and Shubham Dubey (34* off 11, strike rate 309.09), Rajasthan couldn’t bridge the gap.

Harshal Patel and Simranjeet Singh picked two wickets each, ensuring SRH sealed an emphatic win in a match that saw a combined 528 runs in 40 overs.

(With inputs from agencies)