Ahmedabad, May 12 (IANS) A composed half-century from Sai Sudharsan and a late flourish by Washington Sundar rescued Gujarat Titans from a shaky start and carried them to 168/5 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

After being asked to bat, Gujarat never really found early momentum as SRH’s disciplined new-ball attack kept the hosts under pressure throughout the powerplay. Pat Cummins set the tone immediately with probing hard lengths, while Praful Hinge struck crucial blows to leave GT struggling at 34/2, their lowest powerplay score of the season.

Sai Sudharsan was once again the stabilising force for Gujarat. The left-hander weathered the difficult phase with calm accumulation before gradually shifting gears once the field spread. He found support first from Nishant Sindhu, whose brisk 22 off 14 injected some much-needed momentum after a sluggish start.

Sindhu counterattacked impressively, hammering Nitish Kumar Reddy for an 85-metre six and following it with boundaries against Hinge, but his promising stay ended when he miscued Pat Cummins to Heinrich Klaasen at long-off.

That dismissal brought Washington Sundar to the crease, and the all-rounder played a defining hand in reviving Gujarat’s innings. Initially watchful, Sundar settled quickly against spin before targeting the pace bowlers in the death overs with clever placement and calculated aggression.

Meanwhile, Sudharsan continued his remarkable consistency this season. He pierced the off-side field regularly, striking elegant boundaries off Sakib Hussain and Eshan Malinga, while also launching a straight six over the bowler’s head to move into the forties. His fifty came in style when he swept Shivang Kumar to the boundary, marking his third successive 50-plus score of the campaign.

The pair stitched together a crucial 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket, helping Gujarat recover from 68/3 after ten overs. Sundar’s intent against the short ball and his ability to access gaps square of the wicket ensured the scoring rate never completely stalled during the middle phase.

SRH, however, kept pulling things back at key moments. Cummins delivered an excellent spell of 1/20 in four overs, executing yorkers consistently during the middle overs, while Hinge’s sharp spell of 2/10 provided the breakthrough platform.

Sakib Hussain then removed Sudharsan for 61 off 44 balls when the batter miscued an attempted scoop to short third man. Despite that setback, Sundar ensured Gujarat finished strongly. He accelerated in the final overs with scoops, pulls, and flicks against Malinga and Sakib, bringing up a 33-ball fifty to loud applause from the Ahmedabad crowd.

Sundar eventually departed for 50 in the penultimate over, caught by Ishan Kishan off Sakib Hussain’s slower delivery. Rahul Tewatia added the finishing touch with a boundary off the final ball as Gujarat closed on a competitive total after a difficult beginning.

For SRH, Sakib Hussain finished with two wickets, while Cummins and Hinge played vital roles in restricting Gujarat from threatening the 180-mark on a surface that offered assistance to the seamers throughout the innings.

Brief scores:

Gujarat Titans 168/5 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 61, Washington Sundar 50; Sakib Hussain 2-37, Praful Hinge 2-17) against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

–IANS

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