India’s Washington Sundar, playing for the Gujarat Titans (GT), showcased his impressive batting skills once again on April 6, 2025, during a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Sundar joined the team in place of Arshad Khan and made a significant impact, scoring 49 runs off 29 balls, which played a crucial role in helping his team chase down a target of 153 runs in just 16.4 overs.
In his innings, Sundar hit five fours and two sixes, exhibiting a variety of strokes that thrilled the crowd. After starting his innings with three singles, he faced Simarjeet Singh in the last over of the powerplay, where he unleashed his power-hitting, smashing two fours and two sixes to accumulate 20 runs in that over.
One of his sixes drew comparisons to a memorable shot he hit during the historic Gabba Test against Australia in 2021. Sundar’s six from Simarjeet came off a short delivery, reminiscent of his iconic strike against Pat Cummins during his Test debut, where he scored 82 runs and took four wickets, contributing to India’s remarkable victory.
Sundar formed a solid partnership with captain Shubman Gill, adding 90 runs for the third wicket in just 56 balls, which helped stabilize the innings after the Titans found themselves at a worrying 16 for 2. Although he missed out on his first IPL half-century, getting out at 49 due to an impressive catch by Aniket Verma, his performance was still one to remember.
After the match, Sundar shared that head coach Ashish Nehra had encouraged him to bat at number four, which he appreciated as an excellent opportunity. “The captain asked me to stay at the crease as long as possible and finish the game for the team. I know that in Hyderabad, the pitch tends to get better, making it easier to chase down scores of 160 to 170. I was ready for the challenge, especially after the loss of a couple of wickets early on. It was a rare chance for me, and I truly enjoyed my time out there,” he said.
With this victory, the Gujarat Titans secured their third win in a row this season, with Shubman Gill scoring 61 not out off 43 balls and Sherfane Rutherford contributing 49 off 29 balls.
