'All out for 120. What can I say?': Virender Sehwag rips into SRH, hits them with 'Punjab' jibe after Kolkata collapse
Sunrisers Hyderabad's famously ballistic batting lineup were skittled out for just 120 runs by Kolkata Knight Riders.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's ‘go big or go home’ approach hasn't really born fruit in the early days of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). After having lost two games in a row post a victory in their season opener, SRH's famously belligerent batting lineup was skittled out for just 120 runs by the Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday, thus resulting in them losing the match by 80 runs. India opening great Virender Sehwag said that it is quite puzzling just how SRH were all out for such a low score despite the pitch not providing too much assistance to the bowlers and when they bat so deep.
Sehwag, who was associated with the Punjab Kings, then called the Kings XI Punjab, as a player and as a coach, quipped that the team's tendency to collapse seems to have been taken up by SRH this season. “Punjab used to put a spoke in their own wheels and now it seems they have given it to Hyderabad. They made 190 and lost, then made about 160 and lost, today they couldn't chase down 200,” said Sehwag on Cricbuzz.
“Neither was (KKR's) bowling attack nor the wicket (too difficult to deal with). They batted first and scored 200. We could see that the ball wasn't turning, there wasn't too much help in any way for the bowlers. It is just that it was a little slow, and the bowlers were bowling mostly slow balls but you get adjusted to that if you stay in the crease for some time.”
Sehwag said that SRH need to be wary of not losing the unique reputation they have built. The side set all kinds of run scoring records last season in their run to the final and started this season by nearly breaking their own record for highest score by a team in the history of the IPL.
“Hyderabad have disappointed. What can I say? They've got so many batters and nobody could score runs, and they get all out at 120. The paying public has come to see you. Yes, the game was in Kolkata, but Hyderabad has a reputation. That it will be entertaining to watch them. It was just disappeared here,” said Sehwag.
