TATA IPL 2025 season has already set the stage ablaze with breathtaking performances, high-scoring thrillers, and unexpected twists. Match 10, pitting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Delhi Capitals (DC) on March 30, 2025, at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, was no exception. This afternoon clash promised fireworks, given SRH’s reputation for explosive batting and DC’s newfound resilience under captain Axar Patel. What unfolded, however, was a masterclass in pace bowling from Mitchell Starc and a clinical chase led by Faf du Plessis, culminating in a seven-wicket victory for Delhi Capitals with four overs to spare. Let’s dive into the highlights of this captivating encounter. Get the latest IPL Live Cricket Score, match updates, and highlights from TATA IPL 2025.
Pre-Match Build-Up: A Clash Of Titans
Coming into Match 10, both teams had contrasting fortunes. Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, kicked off their IPL 2025 campaign with a bang, posting a mammoth 286/6 against Rajasthan Royals in their opener, powered by Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten century and Travis Head’s blistering 67. However, their momentum took a hit in the next game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where they faltered despite a promising start. SRH’s batting firepower—featuring the likes of Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, and Kishan—had already established them as one of the tournament’s most feared line-ups. Yet, their bowling unit, despite boasting Cummins, Mohammed Shami, and Harshal Patel, had shown vulnerabilities.
Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, were riding high after a dramatic one-wicket win against LSG in their season opener at the same venue. Ashutosh Sharma’s heroics had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, chasing down 209, and the return of KL Rahul from paternity leave added further depth to an already potent batting order. With Axar Patel stepping into the captaincy role and Mitchell Starc leading the bowling attack, DC looked like a team on the rise. The Visakhapatnam leg of their home games had started on a positive note, and they aimed to make it two wins in two.
The pre-match narrative was dominated by one key battle: Mitchell Starc versus SRH’s explosive openers, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Starc’s historical dominance over Head—dismissing him five times in seven recognized cricket innings for just eight runs—added an extra layer of intrigue. Would SRH’s aggressive batting approach prevail, or could DC’s bowling spearhead turn the tide?
The Toss And Team Strategies
As the sun blazed down on Visakhapatnam, Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first—a decision influenced by the afternoon heat and SRH’s success in setting towering totals in IPL 2024. Cummins hinted at replicating their strategy from the previous season: pile on the runs and defend with disciplined bowling. Axar Patel, while acknowledging that the evening conditions might favor bowlers, remained unfazed, confident in his team’s ability to adapt. DC’s bowling plans, as Axar later revealed, included early use of yorkers and death-bowling tactics to counter SRH’s aggressive top order.
SRH fielded an unchanged XI: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami, and Zeeshan Ansari. DC welcomed KL Rahul into the fold, with their XI reading: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), KL Rahul, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohit Sharma.
SRH’s Innings: Starc’s Fifer Steals The Show
SRH’s innings began with promise but quickly unraveled into chaos, thanks to Mitchell Starc’s unrelenting brilliance. Travis Head started aggressively, smashing back-to-back boundaries off Starc’s first over—a length ball driven through the covers and another punched past point. However, the joy was short-lived. In the very next over, a mix-up between Head and Abhishek Sharma led to disaster. Head dabbed a ball to point and set off for a single, but Abhishek’s hesitation allowed Vipraj Nigam to fire a direct hit, sending Sharma back for a duck. SRH were 12/1 after 1.2 overs.
Starc then took center stage. In his second over, he struck twice in quick succession. Ishan Kishan, fresh off a century in the opener, slashed at a wide length ball only to edge it to third man for 2. Two balls later, Nitish Reddy fell to a searing inswinger, trapped plumb LBW for a golden duck. SRH were reeling at 20/3. The carnage continued as Starc bowled a fuller length to Travis Head, who misjudged the line and saw his stumps shattered for 17 off 10 balls. At 37/4 after five overs, SRH’s much-vaunted batting line-up was in tatters.
Heinrich Klaasen and Aniket Verma attempted a counterattack. Klaasen, known for his six-hitting prowess, survived a dropped chance off Vipraj Nigam’s no-ball and capitalized with a lofted cover drive for four. Verma, the uncapped star who had impressed against LSG, took the fight to DC’s spinners. Against Axar Patel, he rocked back to a short ball and smashed it for six over midwicket, following it up with another straight six down the ground. The duo’s 68-run stand off 41 balls offered hope, pushing SRH past 100.
However, Kuldeep Yadav’s introduction swung the pendulum back. Klaasen (32 off 19) skied a googly to long-on, where Faf du Plessis held a safe catch. Abhinav Manohar fell cheaply to Kuldeep’s next over, and Pat Cummins’ brief resistance ended with a miscued shot off Axar. Verma, meanwhile, reached his maiden IPL fifty off 32 balls, blending aggression with composure. His 74 off 41—featuring six fours and four sixes—kept SRH alive, but Starc returned to finish what he started. Harshal Patel edged a drive to Axar at mid-off, and Wiaan Mulder holed out to du Plessis at cover. Starc’s final figures of 5/35 in four overs—his first IPL fifer—bowled SRH out for 163 in 18.4 overs.
DC’s Chase: Faf’s Fifty Sets The Tone
Chasing 164 on a batting-friendly surface, DC approached the task with confidence. Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis opened the innings, facing Mohammed Shami’s new-ball threat. Fraser-McGurk started cautiously but found his rhythm with a boundary off Pat Cummins, while du Plessis took on Abhishek Sharma, lofting him for a towering six over midwicket. The powerplay ended at 52/0, with du Plessis (32 off 18) leading the charge.
Zeeshan Ansari, making his IPL debut, provided SRH’s first breakthrough in the seventh over, dismissing Fraser-McGurk (38 off 25) with a slower ball that induced a catch at mid-off. KL Rahul, on his DC debut, joined du Plessis but fell to Ansari for 8, caught at cover. At 88/2 after 10 overs, DC remained in control, needing 76 off 60 balls.
Du Plessis reached his fifty off 26 balls with a crisp cover drive off Harshal Patel, showcasing his vintage timing. Ansari struck again, removing Axar Patel for 12, but Tristan Stubbs and Abishek Porel ensured no further hiccups. Stubbs (21* off 14) smashed consecutive boundaries off Wiaan Mulder—a pull through square leg and a drive through extra cover—while Porel (34* off 18) sealed the deal with a no-look six over mid wicket off Mulder. DC cruised to 164/3 in 16 overs, winning by seven wickets with 24 balls remaining.
Key Performances and Turning Points
- Mitchell Starc (5/35): The Australian pacer was the game-changer, dismantling SRH’s top order with pace and precision. His three wickets in the powerplay set the tone, and his return to clean up the tail ensured SRH couldn’t recover.
- Aniket Verma (74 off 41): The young SRH batter’s maiden IPL fifty was a silver lining, offering resistance when all seemed lost. His partnership with Klaasen kept SRH in the game briefly.
- Faf du Plessis (50 off 27): The veteran’s aggressive yet composed knock anchored DC’s chase, ensuring the target was never out of reach.
- Kuldeep Yadav (3/22): The spinner’s timely strikes, including Klaasen’s wicket, complemented Starc’s heroics and broke SRH’s momentum.
- Turning Point: Starc’s double strike in the third over—removing Kishan and Reddy—shifted the game decisively in DC’s favor, leaving SRH at 20/3.
Post-Match Reflections
Axar Patel hailed Starc’s performance as “world-class,” emphasizing how his early breakthroughs eased the pressure on the rest of the attack. He also praised du Plessis for setting the tone in the chase. Pat Cummins, meanwhile, admitted SRH’s batting misfired, crediting Starc for exploiting their top-order frailties. “We didn’t adapt quickly enough,” Cummins rued, pointing to their second consecutive loss.
Broader Context In IPL 2025
DC’s victory propelled them to second in the IPL 2025 points table, behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru on net run rate, with two wins from two games in Visakhapatnam. SRH, despite their early promise, slipped to their second straight defeat, highlighting the need for balance beyond their batting might. The match underscored the evolving dynamics of IPL 2025—where bowling prowess, as demonstrated by Starc, could tame even the most explosive batting units.
Conclusion
Match 10 of IPL Live Cricket Score will be remembered as Mitchell Starc’s day—a performance that turned a potential run-fest into a one-sided affair. For DC, it was a statement of intent, blending experience with youthful exuberance. For SRH, it was a wake-up call to address their vulnerabilities ahead of a tough clash against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. As the tournament progresses, this game at Visakhapatnam will stand out as a testament to the unpredictability and thrill that define the IPL.
