Sunrisers Hyderabad’s slim chances of qualifying for the IPL 2025 playoffs came to an end after their crucial encounter against Delhi Capitals on May 5 was abandoned due to rain. Despite delivering their best bowling performance of the season and restricting DC to 136/7 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the match was called off during the innings break due to persistent showers.
Opting to bowl first, SRH captain Pat Cummins made an immediate impact by dismissing Karun Nair on the opening delivery. He led from the front with an impressive spell of 3/19, while Jaydev Unadkat supported with a tight four-over stint, conceding just 13 runs. SRH’s bowlers finally found rhythm, showcasing the control and discipline they had lacked all season.
Delhi, reeling at 62/6, managed to recover through a crucial partnership between Tristan Stubbs (41* off 36) and substitute Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26), giving their bowlers a fighting chance with a total of 136. However, SRH’s chase never began, as rain halted proceedings marking a bitter exit from playoff contention for the Cummins-led side.
DC’s Opening Instability Continues
Delhi Capitals’ ongoing struggles with their opening pair persisted. They fielded their sixth different combination of the season, starting with Nair and Faf du Plessis, in place of Abhishek Porel. The experiment failed instantly, with Nair falling to Cummins on the first ball. Earlier in the season, DC had rotated Jake Fraser-McGurk, Porel, KL Rahul, and others exposing a lack of clarity and consistency at the top of the order.
This lack of continuity, compounded by their failure to replace Harry Brook after his pre-season withdrawal, has been a critical weakness. Against SRH, their top three — Nair, du Plessis (3), and Porel (8) were all dismissed cheaply, with Cummins striking in each of his first three overs.
SRH Bowlers Peak Too Late
For Sunrisers Hyderabad, the outing was a case of too little, too late. Their bowlers finally clicked as a unit, with key contributions from Harshal Patel, Eshaan Malinga, and Zeeshan Ansari, who each took a wicket. Unadkat’s economical spell and Cummins’ fiery opening ensured DC were kept under pressure throughout the innings. Yet, their resurgence came a match too late to impact their season.
This performance, however, offers valuable insights for SRH’s management ahead of the next auction. Rebuilding their bowling arsenal will be vital to complement their aggressive batting setup in future campaigns.
What Lies Ahead
While SRH bow out of the playoff race, Delhi Capitals’ journey has become more precarious. Though they earned a point from the washout, DC must now win all of their remaining matches against Punjab Kings (May 8), Mumbai Indians (May 11), and Gujarat Titans (May 15) to stay in playoff contention.