KISHAN TON POWERS HYDERABAD RO BIG WUN OVER RAJASTHAN IN IPL

Sunrisers Hyderabad's Ishan Kishan celebrates after scoring a century during his side's defeat of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL (Noah SEELAM)

Top-order batter Ishan Kishan hammered his first century in the Indian Premier League on Sunday as he powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a mammoth 286-6 and a 44-run win over Rajasthan Royals.

Hyderabad were invited to bat first and fell just one short of their best of 287, which remains the T20 tournament's highest ever total, with England and Rajasthan bowler Jofra Archer in particular having a day to forget.

The left-handed Kishan stood out as he hammered a ton in 45 balls to pummel the opposition attack after Travis Head smashed 67 off 31 deliveries in the second match of the league that began Saturday.

Rajasthan finished on 242-6 after half-centuries from Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel. Shimron Hetmyer hit 42 off 23 balls.

Batting first, Hyderabad's Australian import Head came out roaring with opening partner Abhishek Sharma and the two handed the team a blazing start.

The left-handed Head hammered fast bowler Archer for 23 runs in one over to set the pace for the onslaught.

Archer went on to concede 76 runs in four overs for the most expensive spell in the IPL.

Head and Kishan, playing his first match for Hyderabad, put on 85 runs off 39 balls for the second wicket to lay the foundations for the total.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, who hit 30 off 15 balls, and Heinrich Klaasen, who hit a 14-ball 34, boosted the total with their explosive cameos.

Rajasthan medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande claimed three wickets, including Head, but the batting storm continued right up to the end of Hyderabad's 20 overs.

The Hyderabad total included a remarkable 34 fours and 12 sixes.

Last year, runners-up Hyderabad posted the highest-ever innings total of 287-3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

In reply, Rajasthan lost two wickets in the second over -- opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Riyan Parag -- and were never in the chase.

Samson, Rajasthan's regular captain who did not make the XI due to an injury and came in as an impact player, smashed 66 and put on 111 runs with Jurel, who top-scored with 70.

But the partnership could only add a little polish to the defeat for the inaugural IPL champions.

The IPL will end with the final on May 25 with 74 matches to be played by ten teams across 13 venues.

The cash-rich league has generated billions in revenue since its inception in 2008, turning the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) into one of the richest governing bodies in sport.

- AFP

INDIA BUNDLE OUT AUSTRALIA FOR 181 TO TAKE 4-RUN LEAD IN FINAL TEST

India’s Prasidh Krishna (C) reacts after dismissing Australia’s Alex Carey during day two of the fifth Test at The SCG in Sydney on January 4, 2025. Photo: AFP

Beau Webster hit a gritty half-century on debut Saturday but Australia crumbled against an India side missing Jasprit Bumrah to be all out for 181 at tea on day two of the decisive fifth Test, trailing by four runs.

The hosts' task in the second session should have been easier with Bumrah off the field and seen leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground, possibly heading for hospital scans.

But Prasidh Krishna (3-42), Mohammed Siraj (3-51) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2-32) all stepped up to fill the void.

Australia lost Sam Konstas (23), Marnus Labuschagne (two), Travis Head (four) and Steve Smith (33) before lunch during fiery spells from Siraj and Bumrah.

In front of his home crowd, Smith looked set to become only the 15th batsman ever and fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs.

But he will have to wait for another day after Prasidh enticed an edge and KL Rahul took the catch in the slips.

While Webster dug in during the second session to top-score with 57, the supporting cast failed to fire, leaving the match finely poised.

Australia will regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15 if they win or draw. India retain it with a win.

The home side resumed at 9-1 after a dramatic final-ball wicket on Friday when Bumrah -- captaining the side after Rohit Sharma was axed -- had Usman Khawaja caught in the slips.

That Australian body blow came two balls after Bumrah and Konstas had a tense exchange, with the pace spearhead staring down the teenager after the dismissal.

The 19-year-old Konstas padded up again on seven with new partner Labuschagne and got off the mark with two off the first ball from Siraj.

But Labuschagne didn't last with a menacing Bumrah again the destroyer, enticing the faintest outside edge to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

A fearless Konstas slammed his nemesis Bumrah to the boundary to signal an attacking intent, then produced an audacious reverse ramp shot for another four.

But the teenager overplayed his hand and fell to a Siraj outswinger, attempting a drive that flew to Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully.

Head hit a four but Siraj pounced again in the same over with another gem of a delivery that took an edge to Rahul at slip, leaving Australia tottering at 39-4.

Smith and Webster, who was in the team for the dropped Mitchell Marsh, set about rebuilding the innings before Prasidh dealt them another setback when he removed the veteran just before lunch.

Prasidh, playing his first match of the series in place of the injured Akash Deep, got another breakthrough soon after their return, bowling Alex Carey.

India then took 4-3, with Reddy at the forefront, before Siraj bowled Scott Boland to end the innings.

- AFP, Sydney