Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 7: Washington Sundar's explosive innings of 49 proved pivotal as Gujarat Titans (GT) clinched a convincing seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in an IPL 2025 encounter. Speaking after the match, Sundar expressed his readiness to seize any opportunity, highlighting the rigorous preparation he had undergone in recent weeks.
Chasing a target of 153 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Sundar's promotion up the batting order to number four proved to be a masterstroke. He blazed his way to a rapid 49 off just 29 deliveries, smashing five boundaries and two towering sixes at an impressive strike rate of 168.97. His aggressive approach wrestled back control for GT, paving the way for a comfortable chase completed with 20 balls to spare.
"Honestly amazing," Sundar shared in a post-match interaction with teammate R Sai Kishore, as featured on iplt20.com. "I truly believed in the preparation that I've put in the last 3-4 weeks. I genuinely believed that whenever my opportunity comes, I'll be prepared. Definitely the way I batted, I'm very happy with it." He also acknowledged the support from the fans, stating, "Honestly you guys were telling me that you all were cheering for me on every other ball. We are genuinely enjoying each other's success, that's amazing, that's a great space to be a part of."
Meanwhile, left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore continued his impressive form, bagging crucial wickets of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen to finish with figures of 2-24, significantly stifling the SRH batting lineup. Reflecting on his contribution, Kishore said, "Feels good to contribute whenever the ball is coming out of the hand. I think cricket teaches you a lot of things - to get a chance, and to make a name for myself. It has actually shaped me as a person, and cricketer. So still, the same fire is there."
Kishore also expressed gratitude for the rewards of his dedicated efforts. "Cricket is the most important thing for me in this life, it is what I dedicate my life for. It feels good to have all those 4 AMs and 4 sessions a day, practicing alone when nobody is watching and now all those things paying off."
Looking at the team's performance, he added, "As a team, I think at GT, we are playing a wonderful brand of cricket, I think we are playing as a team, we are playing, gelling together. So, lot more success to come." Gujarat Titans will now look to carry this momentum into their next encounter against Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 9th.