Heading into the IPL 2026 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, the spotlight was firmly on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the belief that the 15-year-old would overpower the Hyderabad bowling unit, which had looked inconsistent in their recent outings. Yet it was a debutant who stole the show—Vidarbha fast bowler Praful Hinge—producing a feat that even the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood couldn’t manage. Hinge struck early, bowling Sooryavanshi out for a golden duck, leaving the Rajasthan opener visibly rattled.
Hinge’s breakthrough: a bouncer, a top-edge, and a golden duck
The turning point came with Hinge delivering a sharp bouncer that got the better of Sooryavanshi’s timing. The pace beat the youngster, and the batter could only manage a top-edge. Wicketkeeper Salil Arora gathered the chance safely, snapping Rajasthan’s momentum before it could properly begin.
Historic impact in the powerplay
What made the performance even more remarkable was the way Hinge sustained the pressure. In fact, he was originally scheduled to debut in the previous match against Punjab Kings, but this appearance turned out to be even bigger. In his first over of this innings, Hinge struck three times—removing Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
- Hinge became the first bowler in IPL history to take three wickets in the opening over of a batting innings.
- His burst effectively broke the back of Rajasthan’s batting during the early phase.
Player of the Match: 4/34 and Sakib Hussain’s twin burst
For his role in dismantling the Royals inside the powerplay, Hinge was awarded Player of the Match. During his conversation with Murali Karthik, the fast bowler explained that he specifically wanted to attack Sooryavanshi with a bouncer and carried out that plan.
Hinge said, in essence, that he had discussed with a couple of people that he would bowl a bouncer on the first ball to get the wicket, adding that his only goal was to remove him immediately.
He ultimately finished with figures of 4/34. He did not have to carry the burden alone, though. Another debutant, Sakib Hussain, also made a major impact, taking four wickets and finishing with 4/24. Together, the two first-time players swung the contest back in Hyderabad’s favour and helped the franchise get back to winning ways in the IPL 2026 season.
What Hinge said about preparation, manifestation, and dedication
Hinge further revealed that he had been thinking about a big debut for a long time. He said he had considered taking four or five wickets in his opening match and believed he could dominate the powerplay, describing it as a belief in “the power of manifestation.”
He also shared a personal backstory, explaining that he started playing cricket at the age of 13. At that age, he told his father that he wanted to join the club and play the sport. Hinge then dedicated the award to his family, highlighting the sacrifices they’ve made for his journey. He also credited Varun Aaron, his bowling coach, for helping him “a lot.”
Match details: toss, batting totals, and the Hyderabad turnaround
In the match itself, Riyan won the toss and chose to bowl first. Hyderabad made a strong start after Abhishek was dismissed for a duck on the opening ball of the chase. Ishan Kishan then delivered a captain’s innings, scoring 91 runs and steering the team to 216/6 in their 20 overs.
Rajasthan’s chase never got going properly. Hyderabad’s debutant pace duo—Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain—combined for a devastating spell, with both taking four wickets apiece. The wickets came at crucial times, enabling Hyderabad to register a win and halt the Royals’ momentum early.
- Riyan won the toss and elected to bowl.
- Hyderabad posted 216/6 in 20 overs, with Ishan Kishan scoring 91.
- Praful Hinge took 4/34 and Sakib Hussain took 4/24.
It is also worth noting that before this IPL game, Praful had played only one T20 match—against Andhra for Vidarbha—where he returned figures of 1/23.
- Before IPL 2026, Praful Hinge’s lone T20 appearance was for Vidarbha vs Andhra (1/23).
- In his IPL debut, he delivered 4/34 and became the first bowler to take three wickets in the opening over.
