Sunrisers Hyderabad’s power-packed batting display in their IPL 2025 opener has ignited bold predictions, with former South African legend pacer Dale Steyn confidently stating that SRH will become the first team to score 300 runs in an IPL match — and he even knows the date.

Taking to social media, former SRH bowling coach predicted April 17 as the historic day, when SRH face Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. “Small prediction. April 17 we’ll see the first 300 in IPL. Who knows, I might even be there to see it happen,” Steyn tweeted.

SRH nearly reached the landmark on Sunday, piling up a massive 286/6 against Rajasthan Royals, their second-highest total in IPL history. The Sunrisers already holds four of the five highest team scores in the tournament and seems closest to breaching the elusive 300-run barrier.

When a fan questioned what would happen if Mumbai Indians chose to bat first, Steyn responded with humour and readiness, saying, “Haha! Great point,” showing he had thought through a backup plan.

The confidence stems from SRH’s past dominance over MI, particularly in Mumbai. The last time these two teams clashed at Wankhede, Sunrisers posted 277/3, with Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen launching an assault with a combined 17 sixes.

Contrasting starts to IPL 2025 for SRH and MI

SRH began their campaign in style with a 44-run win over Rajasthan Royals. The highlight was Ishan Kishan’s century — the first of IPL 2025. Picked for Rs 11.25 crore at the IPL mega-auction, the former Mumbai Indians opener appears to have revived his career after missing out on BCCI’s central contracts and falling behind in India’s wicketkeeping race.

On the other hand, Mumbai Indians continued their long-standing struggle with season openers, suffering their 13th consecutive first-match defeat. Despite putting up a fight, they lost to Chennai Super Kings, with half-centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Ruturaj Gaikwad guiding CSK to victory.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set for an electrifying face-off as Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lock horns in Visakhapatnam on Day 3 of the tournament. The spotlight is firmly on Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, both facing their former franchises, bringing emotional and competitive undertones to the match.

Rishabh Pant’s high-profile move adds fire to DC-LSG clash

Rishabh Pant, who led Delhi Capitals in previous seasons, will now captain Lucknow Super Giants after being released by DC ahead of the 2025 auction. The star wicketkeeper-batter became the most expensive buy in IPL history when LSG acquired him for ₹27 crore. Pant will be keen to make a statement against his former side, much like Phil Salt did for his new team on Saturday.

Leading the Capitals in Pant’s absence is Axar Patel, who has stepped up as captain. The encounter becomes even more compelling with the leadership switch and team transitions of both key players.

KL Rahul’s participation in doubt

Meanwhile, KL Rahul’s return to Delhi Capitals has stirred attention after his high-profile trade from LSG, which followed a reported fallout with the Giants’ owner. However, his appearance in the playing XI remains doubtful due to a “personal problem,” potentially ruling him out of the contest.

Predicted playing XIs

Lucknow Super Giants

• Mitchell Marsh
• Aryan Juyal
• Rishabh Pant (c)
• Nicholas Pooran
• Ayush Badoni
• David Miller
• Shahbaz Ahmed
• Shardul Thakur
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Akash Singh
• Shamar Joseph
  

Delhi Capitals

• Jake Fraser-McGurk
• Faf du Plessis
• Abhishek Porel
• KL Rahul (subject to availability)
• Axar Patel (c)
• Tristan Stubbs
• Ashutosh Sharma
• Mitchell Starc
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Mukesh Kumar
• T Natarajan
  

With heavyweights on both sides and unfinished business between former teammates and franchises, this match is poised to be a thriller for fans and players alike.

Ishan Kishan stormed into the spotlight with a blistering century for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Rajasthan Royals (RR), marking the first hundred of IPL 2025. The left-handed batter, bought for Rs 11.25 crore at the auction, smashed an unbeaten 106 off just 47 deliveries at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, guiding SRH to a convincing 44-run victory.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes Kishan’s celebration after reaching his century was more than just about personal achievement. Speaking on a media platform, Vaughan remarked that the celebration seemed like a statement—possibly directed towards his former franchise Mumbai Indians, the Indian selectors, or even senior players like Rohit Sharma.

“Kishan’s celebration for three figures today, that was maybe aimed at Mumbai, maybe to the chairman of selectors, maybe to Rohit Sharma, maybe to the whole of India, just to say, ‘Look I’m a decent player’,” Vaughan commented. He praised Kishan’s batting technique, especially his wrist work and ability to dominate the onside.

The innings came at a crucial time for Kishan, who had been under scrutiny for his inconsistent performances and had recently switched teams. Entering at No. 3 after a rapid 45-run opening stand in just 3.1 overs, Kishan seized control and accelerated SRH’s innings to near-record levels. The franchise now holds four of the top five totals in IPL history.

Post-match, Kishan credited SRH skipper Pat Cummins for fostering a fearless playing environment. “He has given me and the entire team a lot of freedom,” Kishan said, appreciating the team’s aggressive approach that allowed him to express himself fully on the field.

With this impactful performance, Kishan has not only boosted SRH’s campaign but has also reignited discussions around his place in the national setup ahead of upcoming international fixtures.