Sunrisers Hyderabad wrapped up their IPL campaign on a high, crushing Kolkata Knight Riders by a massive 110-run margin in their final league game. While the emphatic win was a morale booster, captain Pat Cummins was candid in admitting that the team didn’t fully capitalize on its potential. Despite flashes of brilliance, particularly on batting-friendly tracks, SRH’s struggle on slower pitches eventually cost them a playoff berth.
Their season began with fireworks, posting 286 against the Rajasthan Royals in one of the highest team totals ever. They closed it out with another massive score of 278/3, the third-highest this season. But the spark dimmed during the middle phase of the tournament, with inconsistency plaguing their playoff ambitions.
“Amazing finish, really,” said Pat Cummins in the post-match presentation. “We showed what we’re capable of in the last few games. The batting talent is phenomenal, but in certain matches, we just didn’t turn up. This team has enough in it to be finalists most seasons—it just didn’t click this time.”
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Pat Cummins highlighted their inability to adapt on slower surfaces. “We’ll always get pitches where we can go big, but there’ll be others where 170 is a good score, and we didn’t handle those situations well. Still, I’m proud of the squad. With injuries and a few departures, we ended up using 20 players, and many stepped up when needed.”
Meanwhile, KKR’s season ended in disappointment as they finished eighth with 12 points from 14 games. Captain Ajinkya Rahane admitted they fell short with the ball, especially in their final game. Chasing 279, KKR were bundled out for 168.
“They batted brilliantly,” Ajinkya Rahane said. “We had plans to bowl slower ones and wide lines, but we didn’t execute them properly. SRH made us pay for every loose delivery—and even for some good ones.”
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Reflecting on the season, Rahane remained positive: “There were close games that could’ve changed our position drastically. IPL is unforgiving; you need to stay sharp every moment. But I’m proud of the boys. Everyone gave it their all. No regrets—we’ll regroup and return stronger next season.”
