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The IPL 2025 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC) at Visakhapatnam turned into a spectacle of resilience and fireworks, thanks to a scintillating knock by SRH’s rising star, Aniket Verma. Despite a shaky start, Verma’s explosive batting breathed life into SRH’s innings, setting up an intriguing contest.
Early wobbles for SRH
Choosing to bat first, SRH faced immediate trouble as their top order crumbled under the fiery pace of Mitchell Starc. Within the first three overs, SRH found themselves reeling at 25/3. Starc’s unplayable deliveries accounted for Ishan Kishan (2), Nitish Kumar Reddy (0), and Travis Head (22), leaving the team in dire straits. The early dismissals forced SRH to adopt a cautious approach, but the entry of Verma at No. 5 marked the turning point.
Aniket Verma’s counter-attack against Axar Patel
Walking in with his team in deep trouble, Verma initially played cautiously to stabilize the innings. However, a dropped catch by Abhishek Porel in the sixth over seemed to ignite a spark in him. From that moment, Verma unleashed an onslaught against DC’s spinners, particularly targeting Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.
Verma reached his maiden IPL half-century off just 34 balls, showcasing his ability to mix power with precision. His innings featured five boundaries and six towering sixes, many of which cleared the ropes with ease. One particular over from Patel saw Verma smashing two sixes and a four, leaving the bowler visibly frustrated. Despite wickets tumbling at the other end, Verma stood tall, single-handedly carrying SRH past the 150-run mark. His heroic innings ended at 74 off 41 balls when he holed out to Jake Fraser-McGurk off Kuldeep in the 16th over.
Here’s the video:
🆒 Under Pressure 🧊
Aniket Verma is dealing in just sixes and is closing on his half-century 💪
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— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 30, 2025
Also WATCH: Vipraj Nigam’s brilliant throw ends Abhishek Sharma’s stay during DC vs SRH clash
SRH’s innings: A tale of two halves
While Verma was the standout performer, Heinrich Klaasen provided crucial support with a brisk 32 off 19 balls. Together, they added 50 runs for the fifth wicket in just 22 balls, giving SRH some much-needed momentum. However, after Verma’s dismissal, the lower order failed to capitalize on his efforts. Starc returned to clean up the tail and finished with exceptional figures of 5/35, becoming the highest wicket-taker of IPL 2025 in the process.
SRH were bowled out for 163 in just 18.4 overs—a competitive total given their disastrous start but one that could have been higher had they received more contributions from their middle and lower order.
Mitchell Starc wreaks havoc in SRH batting line-up
Starc was undoubtedly DC’s star with the ball. His fiery spell dismantled SRH’s top order and ensured that no batter other than Verma settled for long. Starc’s ability to swing the ball both ways troubled even seasoned players like Head and Kishan. With this performance, he solidified his position as IPL 2025’s leading wicket-taker, proving why he remains one of T20 cricket’s most feared bowlers.
