Siraj Dismisses Head Early
The highly anticipated contest in Ahmedabad featured another chapter in the ongoing rivalry between Sunrisers opener Travis Head and Titans paceman Mohammed Siraj. Having previously clashed during the Adelaide Test in December 2024 where Head found success, this latest duel went firmly in the Indian bowler’s favor. Siraj targeted the Australian left-hander immediately, forcing Head to flash at two successive deliveries pushed across him before beating him with one that jagged back inward. On the fourth delivery, which also moved back into the batter, Head attempted to play but only managed a leading edge that flew to deep third, departing for a duck.
This dismissal marked the tenth time Siraj has claimed Head’s wicket across all cricket formats, with the Australian maintaining an average of 29.80 against the premier fast bowler.
Sunrisers Collapse in Powerplay
Head’s early departure triggered a batting collapse from which Sunrisers Hyderabad never recovered. The visitors struggled to negotiate a disciplined bowling display on what was described as a difficult surface, finding themselves reeling at 4-34 by the conclusion of the six-over Powerplay. Sunrisers were eventually bundled out for 86, registering their lowest-ever total in the tournament.
Siraj finished with highly economical figures of 1-11 from his three overs. His early breakthrough allowed the rest of the Titans’ attack to exploit the opening. South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada ripped through the middle order to finish with 3-28 from his four overs, while West Indian bowler Jason Holder provided excellent support, claiming 3-20 from his four-over spell.
Cummins Fights Back with Bat and Ball
Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins fought a lone battle for his side. Cummins finished as the top scorer for the visitors with a brief knock of 19 runs, which followed an impressive bowling effort earlier in the evening. Cummins had returned figures of 1-20 from his four overs, keeping the Titans’ scoring under control during his spells.
Earlier in the match, Gujarat Titans posted a competitive total of 5-168 after being put in to bat. When Cummins completed his final over at the end of the 15th over of the innings, the Titans were placed at 3-114. The Sunrisers skipper had restricted the set batting pair of Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar, who chose to play out his overs carefully.
However, once Cummins finished his spell, the Titans accelerated. While Sudharsan was dismissed shortly after making a well-compiled 61 off 44 deliveries, Sundar remained at the crease to play a crucial hand. Sundar reached 50 off 33 balls, helping the home team plunder 54 runs from the final five overs of the innings to push their final score to 5-168.
Looking Ahead in the Tournament
Reflecting on the match, Cummins acknowledged the difficulty of the playing surface and credited the opposition for an exceptional bowling performance.
“They bowled really well,” Cummins said. “I was pretty happy when we walked off. It’s a pretty tricky wicket and you maybe try and look at ways to get through that opening spell, but they deserve a bit of credit. That’s as a good a T20 bowling display as you’ll see.”
Despite the heavy defeat, Cummins remained optimistic about Sunrisers Hyderabad’s prospects for the remainder of the season.
“This happens in T20 cricket. We still have two games left to qualify. We’ll put this behind us pretty quickly,” he added.
With this victory, Gujarat Titans have secured five consecutive wins, moving to the top of the standings and all but guaranteeing their spot in the tournament playoffs.
