Mitchell Starc and Faf du Plessis power Delhi Capitals to big IPL 2025 win over Sunrisers Hyderabad

Australian fast-bowler and South African batter guide side to second victory in opening two games

Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Delhi Capitals v Sunrisers Hyderabad - Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, India - March 30, 2025 Delhi Capitals' Mitchell Starc celebrates with K L Rahul after taking the wicket of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Travis Head REUTERS / Stringer

Delhi Capitals opener Faf du Plessis walks back to the pavilion after being dismissed for 50, a knock that came off 27 balls and included three fours and three sixes. AFP

Delhi opner Jake Fraser-McGurk hit 38 off 32 balls including four fours and two sixes. AFP

Hyderabad fielder Wiaan Mulder takes the catch to dismiss Delhi's Faf du Plessis. AP

Delhi batter KL Rahul is clean bowled by Sunrisers Hyderabad's Zeeshan Ansari for 15. AFP

Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler Zeeshan Ansari, second left, celebrate the dismissal of Delhi opener Faf du Plessis. AP

Aniket Verma top-scored for Sunrisers Hyderabad with 74 off 41 balls including five fours and six sixes, as his team were bowled out for 163. AFP

Delhi fielder Vipraj Nigam after taking a catch to dismiss Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen for 32. AP

Hyderabad's Australian opener Travis Head hit 22 off 12 balls before becoming one of countryman Mitchell Starc's five victims for Delhi. Reuters

Delhi fielder Jake Fraser-McGurk takes catch to dismiss Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins. AP

Delhi bowler Kuldeep Yadav, right, finished with figures of 3-22 off four overs. AP

A five-wicket haul by Mitchell Starc followed by Faf du Plessis's quick-fire half-century powered Delhi Capitals to a seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat, Hyderabad were bowled out for 163 with only three players managing to reach double figures in Visakhapatnam.

Australia opener Travis Head cracked 22 off 12 balls before becoming one of countryman Starc's five victims after gloving behind to wicketkeeper KL Rahul, leaving the score at 37-4.

That brought together Heinrich Klaasen (32) and Aniket Verma (74) and their partnership of 77 would at least help give Sunrisers' bowling attack something to defend.

Verma's brilliant knock came off 41 balls which saw him smash five fours and six sixes for a maiden half-century in what was his third IPL game.

Fast-bowler Starc (5-35) and spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3-22) did the damage for Delhi. “All round, we were fantastic,” said player of the match Starc, who secured his maiden five-wicket haul in the IPL.

“I don't think there are too many egos in T20 cricket, you have to hang for dear life.

“You have to try to do things you don't normally do and find leeway against batters, nice it came off today.

“I've played for long enough, so I know what to do. Gotta think outside the box, even as an older player you have to bowl different balls. Glad that worked out.

“It's great to get into a new, young group and form new relationships with guys you haven't played with.”

Captain Axar Patel added: “Thought I'll bowl two of Starc in front, but he got three early, and I knew SRH were attacking so he was given the third over and that worked out.

“Experience is beneficial, two-three players have led the franchise too, they give suggestions. I take what I want, but they're given a free hand.”

Opening batters Du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk then put the team on the road to a comfortable victory.

The pair put on 81 for the first wicket off nine overs before Du Plessis fell after a 27-ball 50, that including three fours and three sixes, with Fraser-McGurk (38 off 32) following in the same over.

Rahul became debutant Zeeshan Ansari's third wicket less than two overs later leaving Delhi on 115-3 – the spinner would finish with figures of 3-42 – with Abishek Porel (34 not out) and Nigam (21 not out) then easing the team over the finishing line.

Porel clubbed Wiaan Mulder for six to seal the win in style with 24 balls to spare, as the Capitals made it two wins out of two this season after starting their campaign with a thrilling one-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants.

It was Hyderabad’s second defeat in three games having been lost to Lucknow last Thursday and beating Rajasthan Royals in their opener.

“Aniket gave us a score but we lost a few early scores,” said captain Pat Cummins, whose two overs with the ball cost 27 runs for no wicket. “Not all bad shots, run outs too, it happens.

“I don't think it's margins with our style, not everything went our way in the last two games. Maybe we just need to do one or two things differently and the results would change.

“Aniket wasn't well known but was super impressive coming into the tournament, he was fantastic and gave us half a chance. Overall, guys have shown glimpses of what they can do, I don't think we'll change too much.”