In an attempt to finish their underwhelming Indian Premier League 2025 season on a high note, both Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders faced off at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday.
Winning the toss, SRH captain Pat Cummins opted to bat first on what was considered a batting-friendly pitch. The decision paid off handsomely as Heinrich Klaasen produced a breathtaking display of power-hitting, smashing a century off just 37 balls.
Travis Head also contributed with a fluent half-century, propelling Sunrisers to an imposing total of 278/3.The onus was then on the SRH bowlers to defend the massive score by curbing the KKR batting lineup, particularly openers Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock.
However, Narine had other plans. The West Indian all-rounder went after Cummins right from the start, dispatching two sixes in the very first over. He continued his aggressive approach in Cummins’ next over, hammering a six and a four to race to 27 runs off just 14 deliveries.
Recognizing the threat Narine posed, Cummins brought in Jaydev Unadkat, who had an excellent head-to-head record against the left-hander. In the fourth over, Narine managed to edge a full delivery for a boundary over short third man. But the very next ball brought a twist in the tale.
Attempting another big shot, Narine was deceived by a clever slower off-cutter from Unadkat.The ball took its time to reach the batter, who had already completed his wild swing. As the stumps were rattled, Unadkat and his SRH teammates erupted in celebration.
This dismissal marked Unadkat’s fourth wicket against Narine in just six encounters, reinforcing his dominance over the KKR opener. Harshal Patel, clearly thrilled, rushed over to Unadkat mimicking a bunny with both hands and outstretched fingers—an amusing nod to the bowler’s ‘bunny’ status over Narine.
— Birdman (@kingbirdman22) May 25, 2025
Fans on Twitter were quick to pick up on Harshal’s animated celebration, flooding the platform with memes and praise. Unadkat’s clinical execution and the light-hearted moment from Harshal added to the entertainment as SRH looked to finish their season with a memorable victory.