It was a bittersweet evening for Gujarat Titans pacer Ishant Sharma, who not only endured a tough outing with the ball but also found himself in hot water for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The seasoned campaigner was fined 25 percent of his match fees and handed one demerit point for his actions, having admitted to a Level 1 offence under Article 2.2.

As per IPL regulations, the Match Referee’s decision in such cases remains final and binding. Unfortunately for Ishant, the match didn’t go his way even in terms of performance. He struggled to make any sort of impact, conceding a hefty 53 runs in his quota of four overs without taking a wicket.

The 35-year-old was taken apart in the powerplay and again at the death, giving away 24 runs early on and another 29 in his final spell. His figures of 4-0-53-0 were among his most expensive in recent memory and reflected a rare off day for the veteran. Thankfully for the Titans, Ishant’s underwhelming performance didn’t cost them the match.

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Chasing a competitive target, Gujarat romped home with 20 balls to spare and seven wickets in hand. Skipper Shubman Gill led from the front, anchoring the innings with a composed half-century and finishing the game with a boundary. Washington Sundar also chipped in with a handy 49, ensuring there were no hiccups in the chase.

Ishant Sharma has been fined 25 percent of his match fees for breaching the IPL’s Code of Conduct.#SRHvGT #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/ay465Hijr1

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) April 7, 2025

But the real star of the night was Hyderabad’s own Mohammed Siraj. The local boy lit up his home ground with a fiery spell that saw him claim four vital wickets and rightly earn the Player of the Match award. Siraj’s pace, accuracy, and control choked the Gujarat batters during the middle overs and kept the home crowd buzzing.

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Speaking after the match, Siraj reflected on the joy of performing at home in front of family and friends. He acknowledged the mental and physical work he had put in after being left out of recent national selections, including the Champions Trophy squad. “When you’re executing exactly what you plan, and the ball responds the way you want, that’s the best feeling,” he said with a smile, clearly relishing the moment.