A Hyderabadi dashed Sunrisers Hyderabad's hopes of turning their IPL campaign around at home.

Mohammed Siraj, who hails from Hyderabad, set it up with an incisive spell of fast-bowling before Shubman Gill completed the formalities with the bat as Gujarat Titans thrashed Sunrisers by seven wickets on Sunday.

The pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium wasn’t really a belter as it was in the earlier games and that made matters difficult for Sunrisers. If that wasn’t enough, Siraj rubbed salt into their wounds with a spell 4-0-17-4.

Alongside Siraj, his pace colleague Prasidh Krishna and left-armer Sai Kishore also did well with two wickets apiece, ensuring the Sunrisers could only put up 152/8.

Thereafter, Gill (61 not out off 43 balls) played a captain’s knock and was aided by Washington Sundar, who made a fluent 29-ball 49 batting at No.4. Impact Player Sherfane Rutherford too contributed, blasting an unbeaten 16-ball 35 as the Titans hurried home with 20 balls remaining.

The Titans, with their third win, are now second in the standings, while the Sunrisers are at the bottom after suffering their fourth defeat in five matches

Happy homecoming

The conditions in Hyderabad weren’t at all new for Siraj. Besides, the 31-year-old had gained rhythm going into this game with five wickets from the Titans’ last two appearances.

Siraj’s biggest test would be against Travis Head, with whom he has had a bit of history too lately. Remember the send-off he had given the Australian left-hander in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide late last year? On Sunday, Head tried to dominate Siraj right from the onset, smashing the pacer for two boundaries. But it was Siraj who had the last laugh.

It wasn’t the best ball Siraj had bowled in his four-over spell. It was full and on the pads of Head, but surprisingly, the left-hander produced a half-hearted shot to give catching practice at mid-wicket.

In his third over, Siraj picked up his second wicket when Abhishek Sharma, Head’s opening partner, also played a poor shot to squander a sound start. With that Siraj touched 100-wickets mark in the IPL.

Prasidh also struck when he extracted a little more pace to dig it short and have Ishan Kishan perish at fine leg.

Importantly, Siraj ensured his initial effort didn’t go to waste as he took two more scalps in his final spell, removing a set Aniket Verma and Impact Player Simrajeet Singh in the 19th over. Young Aniket was undone by an inswinging yorker-length delivery, while Simarjeet’s stumps were clattered as he tried to hoick one angling in.

This couldn’t have been a better homecoming for Siraj as he’s keen on making a statement to the selection committee ahead of India's England tour.

Crucial stand

Mohammed Shami and Cummins revived the Sunrisers' hopes, dismissing Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, respectively, with the Titans wobbling at 16/2 in the fourth over. However, skipper Gill remained steady right through, while Washington chanced his arms and executed the shots to perfection to ensure the required rate was never a problem for the Titans.

Gill and Washington stitched 90 for the third wicket in just over nine overs. That sealed the game for the Titans.