The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to bring another exciting clash as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) face off against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 23rd. The match will take place at the iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, kicking off at 3:30 PM IST. Pat Cummins leads SRH this season, bringing his wealth of experience as an international captain.
With star players like Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen in their lineup, Hyderabad aims to make a strong start. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals, captained by the young and dynamic Riyan Parag, boast a powerful squad featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Jofra Archer.
Historically, these two teams have faced each other 20 times in the IPL, with SRH holding a slight edge, winning 11 matches compared to RR’s 9. This competitive history sets the stage for yet another closely fought battle.
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As both teams look to set the tone early in the tournament, fans can expect a high-intensity contest filled with big hits, fiery bowling spells, and game-changing moments. The stage is set for a thrilling encounter in Hyderabad, and the cricketing world is eagerly waiting for the action to unfold.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
The 2024 runners-up, SRH, are fielding a fit and prepared squad, with key players Pat Cummins and Nitish Reddy ready to go. Their batting line-up boasts an impressive record against spin, a crucial factor considering RR’s Wanindu Hasaranga is returning to the IPL after missing last season due to injury. SRH’s top-order boasts Abhishek Sharma, who has hammered spin at a strike rate close to 200 since IPL 2023, and Travis Head, who strikes at 164.51 against spin and is equally lethal against pace. Adding to this spin-smashing arsenal are Nitish Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen, both striking over 180 against turn. Despite this, Hasaranga, who shares the most T20 wickets since 2024, will be determined to reassert his dominance.
Probable XII: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan , Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby/Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Adam Zampa, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar/Jaydev Unadkat
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
On the other hand, RR faces a leadership change as Sanju Samson remains sidelined from captaincy due to a finger injury, with Riyan Parag stepping in as skipper. Samson will play purely as a batter and may rotate in and out as an impact player. RR had the most effective PowerPlay bowling unit last year, with Fazalhaq Farooqi leading the charge. Since 2024, Farooqi has grabbed 45 PowerPlay wickets — the best in that phase. As Hyderabad’s pitch hasn’t been kind to spinners, RR may field only one of their Sri Lankan options to maintain balance.
Probable XII: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Heinrich Klaasen, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Travis Head, Yashasvi Jaiswal (vc), Abhishek Sharma (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, K Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Nitish Rana, Mohammed Shami
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Heinrich Klaasen, Sanju Samson (vc), Ishan Kishan, Travis Head (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Abhishek Sharma, Wanindu Hasaranga, K Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Mohammed Shami
