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Delhi Capitals stormed to a dominant 7 wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 30, 2025, powered by Mitchell Starc's fiery five wicket haul and Kuldeep Yadav's masterful spin spell.
Starc dismantled SRH's top order with sheer pace, while Kuldeep's control in the middle overs ensured there was no way back for the batting side.
Despite a valiant debut effort from leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, who picked up three crucial wickets for SRH, Delhi's deep batting lineup made light work of the chase, sealing their second consecutive win of the season.
Here's how the bowlers fared in Visakhapatnam...
Starc's 5 Wicket Haul Wrecks SRH
Mitchell Starc delivered a bowling masterclass in Visakhapatnam, claiming a sensational 5/34 to dismantle Sunrisers Hyderabad and propel Delhi Capitals to a dominant seven wicket victory on Sunday.
The left-arm speedster tore through SRH's batting lineup, striking early in the Powerplay before returning at the death to seal his maiden T20 five wicket haul.
Starc wasted no time in making an impact, removing Ishan Kishan (2) in just his second over. The left-hander attempted to cut a back-of-a-length delivery outside off but only sliced it to Tristan Stubbs at deep backward point. Just two balls later, Nitish Reddy (0) misjudged a rising short ball and miscued his pull shot, gifting a simple catch to Axar Patel at mid on.
With SRH already under pressure, Starc produced his biggest scalp of the night, dismissing Travis Head for 22. The Australian opener, known for his explosive starts, attempted to upper-cut a well-directed short ball but only managed a faint edge to K L Rahul behind the stumps. This marked the sixth time Starc had dismissed his compatriot across formats, further proving his dominance over Head.
Starc returned in the 19th over to wipe out SRH's lower order. Harshal Patel (5) unleashed a powerful drive, only for Axar Patel to pull off a stunning diving catch with both hands.
Starc completed his five wicket haul when he outfoxed Wiaan Mulder (9) with a deceptive full delivery angling into middle and leg, which the South African all-rounder tried to flick but instead chipped straight to deep square leg at the hands of Faf du Plessis, cutting short SRH's innings at 163 in 18.4 overs.
His devastating spell not only secured a crucial win for DC but also saw him shoot up the wicket-taking charts with eight scalps in just two matches this season.
Bought for Rs 11.75 crore (Rs 117.5 million) at the IPL mega-auction, Starc is already proving to be a game-changer for Delhi Capitals, adding firepower to their attack and reaffirming his status as one of the most lethal pacers in the world.
Speaking after the match, Starc reflected on the challenges bowlers face in modern T20 cricket. 'There's no ego in bowling anymore. You have to think outside the box and find different ways to get batters out,' he said.
Kuldeep's Stranglehold Stifles SRH
Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav wove a web around SRH batters with his accuracy and deception.
Bowling 13 consecutive dot balls, he finished with 3/22, playing a crucial role in restricting SRH to a modest 163 all out. His disciplined approach and tactical variations stifled the scoring, forcing the opposition into errors under mounting pressure.
After Mitchell Starc's fiery opening burst had SRH reeling at 25/3, Aniket Verma (74 off 41) and Heinrich Klaasen (32 off 19) launched a fightback with a 77 run stand. But just when SRH seemed to be regaining control, Kuldeep's introduction flipped the script.
His first breakthrough came in the 12th over, this time removing Abhinav Manohar (4). The right-hander attempted to drive a fuller delivery but mistimed it, offering a low catch to Faf du Plessis at extra cover, who reacted quickly to complete a stunning grab.
In the 14th over, Kuldeep dismantled Pat Cummins (2) with another clever variation. The SRH captain, trying to force the pace, misjudged the flight and ended up slicing the ball high toward long off, where Jake Fraser-McGurk showcased brilliant awareness to complete his catch.
In the 16th over, Kuldeep delivered a pivotal blow, outfoxing the well-set Aniket Verma with a beautifully disguised wrong 'un. The young batter, looking to accelerate, failed to read the turn and went for an ambitious lofted shot.
However, the extra dip and lack of pace deceived him, resulting in a mistimed hit that sailed straight to Fraser-McGurk in the deep. The fielder judged it perfectly, completing a composed catch near the boundary. This wicket shattered SRH's hopes of a strong finish, shifting the momentum firmly in Delhi's favour.
Zeeshan Ansari's Strikes Not Enough
Bought for Rs 40 lakh (Rs 4 million) at the mega auction last November, debutant leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari's inclusion in the SRH squad had raised curiosity, given his limited exposure in T20 cricket.
He wasted no time proving his worth on the big stage, delivering a spell that momentarily put Delhi on the back foot.
Introduced into the attack in the middle overs, the Lucknow-born spinner made an immediate impact by breaking the threatening opening stand. He dismissed the dangerous Faf Du Plessis, who had already raced to a 50 off just 27 balls, looking set to take the game away from Sunrisers.
Zeeshan deceived the South African with a well-flighted delivery, forcing him into a mistimed lofted shot that was brilliantly taken by Wiaan Mulder in the deep.
The breakthrough shifted momentum momentarily, and Zeeshan capitalised further in the same over. This time, he showcased his sharp reflexes with an exceptional caught-and-bowled dismissal to remove Fraser-McGurk.
The young Australian batter, looking to up the ante, failed to keep his drive down, and Zeeshan reacted swiftly to grab a low catch inches off the turf.
His finest moment, however, came in his third over when he rattled K L Rahul's stumps. Having blazed to 15 off just five balls, Rahul attempted a sweep but misjudged the turn, as the ball sneaked past his legs and crashed into the off stump.
The scalp of Rahul, one of DC's most experienced campaigners, was a testament to Zeeshan's skill and composure under pressure.
Despite conceding 42 runs in his four overs, the leg-spinner's three-wicket burst gave SRH a glimmer of hope, even as Delhi's deep batting eventually ensured a comfortable win.
The 25 year old, a former India U-19 World Cup squad member, made an impactful IPL debut, and despite ending on the losing side, showcased his potential as a promising young spinner for the future.
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