Lara Zijl 
By Kara Riggs, NZB News
3 May 2025
Sunrisers Hyderabad secured a thrilling four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in Match 51 of the Indian Premier League 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 2 May 2025, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Chasing 211, SRH reached the target in 19.5 overs, powered by Travis Head’s 78 off 45 balls and Heinrich Klaasen’s 42 off 22. For New Zealand fans, Glenn Phillips’ 15 for GT was a brief highlight in a high-scoring clash.
Background Information
The IPL 2025 season has been challenging for Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, who entered the match fourth with four wins from 10, reeling from an eight-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals on 28 April, where Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s 101 dismantled their bowling. Sunrisers Hyderabad, under Pat Cummins, languished ninth with three wins from nine, despite a 15-run win over Chennai Super Kings on 25 April. The Ahmedabad pitch, averaging 215 in first-innings scores, is a batting paradise, though spinners like GT’s Rashid Khan can exploit late turn. New Zealand’s Phillips has been GT’s utility batter, while SRH’s lack of Kiwi players shifted focus to their explosive top order. GT’s 4-1 head-to-head dominance over SRH, including a 7-wicket win on 6 April in Hyderabad, made them favourites, but SRH needed a win to stay in the playoff race.
Match Details
Teams: Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Date: 2 May 2025
Toss: Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bowl.
Result: Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 4 wickets.
Gujarat Titans scored 210 for 6 in 20 overs, led by Shubman Gill’s 82 off 49 balls and Jos Buttler’s 50 off 32. SRH’s Mohammed Shami took 2 for 39, with Pat Cummins claiming 1 for 42. Sunrisers Hyderabad chased 211 in 19.5 overs, finishing at 214 for 6, with Travis Head’s 78 off 45 and Heinrich Klaasen’s 42 off 22 leading the charge. GT’s Mohammed Siraj took 2 for 45, with Rashid Khan grabbing 1 for 33.
Highlights
GT’s innings started strongly, with Gill and Sai Sudharsan adding 70 in the powerplay. Shami dismissed Sudharsan for 28 in the fifth over, but Gill’s 82, with seven fours and four sixes, and Buttler’s 50, including five boundaries, powered GT. Phillips’ quick 15 and Rahul Tewatia’s 12 not out lifted GT to 210, despite Cummins removing Shahrukh Khan for 10. SRH’s chase began explosively, with Head and Abhishek Sharma reaching 60 in five overs. Siraj’s early strike, dismissing Sharma for 20, and Rashid’s removal of Ishan Kishan for 15 left SRH at 85 for 2 after nine overs. Head’s 78, with eight fours and three sixes, and a 65-run stand with Klaasen, who smashed four sixes, kept SRH on track, reaching 180 for 4 after 17 overs. A late wobble, with Siraj dismissing Nitish Kumar Reddy (18) and Prasidh Krishna removing Kamindu Mendis (10), saw SRH needing 10 off the final over. Aniket Verma’s boundary off Ishant Sharma sealed the win with a ball to spare. Head earned Player of the Match for his match-defining knock.
Records
Travis Head’s Consistency: Head’s 78 was his fourth fifty-plus score in IPL 2025, tying him with Shubman Gill for most among openers. SRH’s Ahmedabad Breakthrough: This was SRH’s first win over GT in Ahmedabad, ending a 0-2 record at the venue. High-Scoring Chase: SRH’s 211 in 19.5 overs was their second-highest successful chase in IPL history, behind 286/7 vs RR on 27 March 2025.
Historical Data
SRH’s win narrowed GT’s head-to-head lead to 4-2 in six IPL meetings, marking SRH’s first victory over GT since 2022. At Ahmedabad, GT lead 2-1 in three clashes. GT’s 2022 title and 2023 runner-up finish contrast with SRH’s 2016 triumph and 2024 final appearance. New Zealand players have featured, with Phillips’ 107 runs for GT this season, while SRH rely on overseas stars like Head and Klaasen. The IPL’s global appeal saw nine Kiwis prioritise the tournament over a T20I series against Pakistan in March 2025. GT’s earlier 7-wicket win over SRH on 6 April, driven by Gill’s 61 not out and Mohammed Siraj’s 4 for 17, highlighted their prior dominance.
Discussion
SRH’s gritty chase was a testament to their batting firepower. Head’s 78 and Klaasen’s 42 outshone GT’s bowling, with Rashid’s 1 for 33 unable to stem the flow. Gill’s 82 and Buttler’s 50 set a formidable 210, but SRH’s aggressive start, led by Head, and Klaasen’s late surge exploited GT’s death-overs lapses, notably Ishant’s 18-run final over. For New Zealand fans, Phillips’ 15 was a minor note, but his versatility remains key for GT. The Ahmedabad pitch, flat and true, favoured SRH’s high-risk approach, and Cummins’ decision to bowl first paid off despite GT’s strong total. SRH’s fourth win lifts them to seventh with 8 points, keeping playoffs in sight, while GT’s fifth loss drops them to fifth with 8 points, denting their net run rate and playoff prospects.
IPL 2025 Points Table (as of 3 May 2025)
+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| Team | M | W | L | P | NRR |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| Mumbai Indians |11 | 7 | 5 |14 | +1.274|
| Royal Challengers |10 | 7 | 3 |14 | +0.521|
| Punjab Kings |10 | 6 | 3 |13 | +0.199|
| Delhi Capitals |11 | 7 | 4 |14 | +0.362|
| Gujarat Titans |11 | 4 | 7 | 8 | +0.450|
| Kolkata Knight Riders |11 | 4 | 6 | 9 | +0.271|
| Sunrisers Hyderabad |10 | 4 | 6 | 8 | -0.803|
| Rajasthan Royals |11 | 3 | 8 | 6 | -0.780|
| Lucknow Super Giants | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | -0.325|
| Chennai Super Kings |10 | 2 | 8 | 4 | -1.211|
+-----------------------+-----------------------+Key: M = Matches, W = Won, L = Lost, P = Points, NRR = Net Run Rate
Orange Cap and Purple Cap Standings
The Orange Cap is held by Suryakumar Yadav of Mumbai Indians with 469 runs in 12 matches, his best being 93 not out. The Purple Cap is held by Josh Hazlewood of Royal Challengers Bengaluru with 18 wickets in 10 matches, his best being 4 for 20.
Next Matches Schedule
On 3 May 2025, Lucknow Super Giants face Chennai Super Kings in Lucknow at 7:30 PM IST. On 4 May 2025, Punjab Kings play Delhi Capitals in Mullanpur at 7:30 PM IST. On 5 May 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Chennai Super Kings in Chennai at 7:30 PM IST. On 6 May 2025, Mumbai Indians meet Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata at 7:30 PM IST. On 7 May 2025, Gujarat Titans face Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad at 7:30 PM IST, and Rajasthan Royals play Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad at 7:30 PM IST.
What’s Next?
Gujarat Titans face Punjab Kings on 7 May 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where Gill, Buttler, and Siraj must regroup to keep their playoff hopes alive against a strong PBKS side. Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Rajasthan Royals on 7 May 2025 in Hyderabad, with Head, Klaasen, and Cummins aiming to build on this momentum to climb the table. GT’s 8 points demand urgency, while SRH’s 8 points offer a lifeline for a late playoff push.
Summary
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans kept their IPL 2025 playoff dreams alive. Shubman Gill’s 82 and Jos Buttler’s 50 lifted GT to 210 for 6, but Travis Head’s 78 and Heinrich Klaasen’s 42 powered SRH to 214 for 6 in 19.5 overs. Mohammed Siraj’s 2 for 45 and Rashid Khan’s 1 for 33 couldn’t stop SRH’s chase, sealed by Aniket Verma’s boundary. The win moves SRH to seventh with 8 points, while GT’s fifth loss drops them to fifth with 8 points. For New Zealand fans, Glenn Phillips’ 15 was a minor note. As SRH chase a playoff spot and GT seek recovery, IPL 2025 remains a captivating spectacle.
