Kagiso Rabada rips through Hyderabad Sunrisers as Gujarat Titans surge to top of IPL table

Defending a modest-looking total of 168-5, Gujarat's pace attack ripped through Hyderabad's batting line-up, bowling the visitors out for just 86 in 14.5 overs - the franchise's lowest total in IPL history.

Rabada was at the centre of the destruction, claiming 3-28 in a hostile four-over burst that left Hyderabad reeling inside the powerplay. Fellow seamer Mohammed Siraj struck in the opening over by dismissing Travis Head for a duck before Rabada removed Abhishek Sharma, captain Ishan Kishan and R Smaran as Gujarat reduced Hyderabad to 48-4.

Rabada and Siraj repeatedly targeted a testing hard length on a difficult Ahmedabad surface where the ball gripped, jagged off the seam and offered steep bounce for the quick bowlers.

Hyderabad never recovered from the early collapse despite a brief counterattack from Pat Cummins, whose 19 from nine balls was the highest score of the innings. Heinrich Klaasen made 14 but fell trying to force the pace against Jason Holder, who cleaned up the middle order with figures of 3-20.

Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan completed the rout as Gujarat sealed their biggest victory in IPL history.

Earlier, Gujarat had to recover from early trouble after Hyderabad's seamers made immediate inroads. Young quick Praful Hinge removed both captain Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler cheaply as the hosts stumbled to their lowest powerplay score of the season at 34-2.

On a slow and unpredictable pitch, B Sai Sudharsan anchored the innings with a composed 61 from 44 deliveries, carefully balancing risk and strike rotation while capitalising on the few loose deliveries on offer. His knock included five fours and two sixes and marked his sixth half-century of the season.

Sudharsan shared a crucial 60-run stand with Washington Sundar, who accelerated impressively in the closing overs with a 33-ball 50. Sundar attacked Hyderabad's death bowling with a series of inventive strokes, helping Gujarat recover from a precarious position and push towards a competitive total.

Pat Cummins was Hyderabad's standout bowler with 1-20 from four disciplined overs, while Hinge impressed with two early wickets.

The victory lifted Gujarat onto 16 points from 12 matches and strengthened their push for a top-two finish, which would provide an extra opportunity to reach the IPL final. Hyderabad, meanwhile, remain under pressure heading into the final stretch of the league phase.

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