New Delhi:

The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad was awash with orange in support of Sunrisers Hyderabad, yet it was the local favorite, Mohammed Siraj, who captured the spotlight for Gujarat Titans on Sunday.

Siraj delivered an impressive bowling performance, taking 4 wickets for 17 runs, while captain Shubman Gill contributed a robust innings of 61 not out off 43 balls, leading the Titans to a commanding 7-wicket victory and elevating them to second place in the 10-team standings.

Gujarat Titans' formidable bowling attack, spearheaded by Siraj, dismantled SRH's strong batting lineup, restricting them to a mere 152 runs for 8 wickets. Gill's half-century established a solid foundation for the chase, indicating that the GT captain had returned to form.

Washington Sundar, who was elevated to the No. 4 position, scored 49 runs off 29 balls, and Sherfane Rutherford added 35 not out off 16 balls, providing crucial support to Gill after the early dismissals of opener Sai Sudharsan (5) and Jos Buttler (0). Washington set the tone for the chase by scoring 20 runs in Simarjeet Singh’s first over (0/20) and formed a vital 90-run partnership with Gill for the third wicket, maintaining control over the run chase. However, just as victory seemed assured for GT, Mohammed Shami intervened, preventing Washington from achieving a well-deserved half-century.

“The captain advised me to bat as long as possible and aimed to finish the match for my team,” the all-rounder shared with the broadcaster. “The coach suggested I bat at No. 4, especially after we lost a couple of early wickets; it was a rare chance for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the crease.”

After Washington's departure, Rutherford took the initiative, quickly targeting Abhishek Sharma and scoring 18 runs in his over. Coming in as an impact player, he and Gill completed the chase with 20 balls remaining.

Hometown hero Siraj

Siraj delivered an impressive performance, achieving his career-best T20 statistics of 4/17 and reaching the milestone of 100 IPL wickets (102 in 97 matches), which was crucial in stifling SRH’s batting efforts.

The Sunrisers faced difficulties with their batting, especially during the Powerplay, as Siraj spearheaded the Titans' attack. The fast bowler quickly made his presence felt by dismissing openers Travis Head (8) and Abhishek Sharma (18) early in the innings.

Reflecting on his recent achievements, he remarked, “I’ve focused on improving my fitness and bowling, and I feel rejuvenated. The ball tends to tail more now that the saliva ban has been lifted, making it easier to secure wickets, particularly through bowled and LBW dismissals.”

Later in the innings, he added two more wickets to his impressive haul, taking out Aniket Verma (18) and Simarjeet Singh (0), marking a remarkable day at home.

SRH batting struggles

The home match presented an opportunity for SRH to regain their winning form; however, their batting struggles during the Powerplay persisted as they managed only 45 runs for the loss of two wickets after the initial six overs. The situation worsened in the eighth over when Ishan Kishan (17) was dismissed, misplaying a pull shot off a short delivery from Prasidh Krishna (2/25).

The middle-order responded with a 50-run partnership between Nitish Reddy (31) and Heinrich Klaasen (27), which included several boundaries and a six off Rashid Khan (0/31). Just as SRH seemed to gain momentum, Sai Kishore (2/24) struck by dismissing Klaasen, who attempted another pull shot, followed by Reddy in the same over while trying to hit big. This left SRH at 105/5 by the 16th over. Captain Pat Cummins provided a brief but impactful innings towards the end, giving his team a glimmer of hope, although the total remained inadequate, especially on a sluggish pitch.

Despite a late flourish from SRH in the final over, where they scored 17 runs, the bowlers from GT maintained strong control throughout the innings, with Prasidh and Sai Kishore playing pivotal roles in limiting the score.

Ishant Sharma's costly spell of 53 runs in four overs sharply contrasted with the effectiveness of his teammates, yet it ultimately did not affect Gujarat's overall performance.

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