Travishek's start, Klaasen's Class: SRH's final game serves a reminder of an IPL season that could have been
SunRisers Hyderabad capped off their Indian Premier League 2025 season with a thundering performance against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, May 25. Playing their final game of the tournament, last year's finalists delivered a scintillating batting display, racking up the third-highest total in the history of the competition.Heinrich Klaasen starred with a tremendous 105*, an innings well-supported by Travis Head's 76 off 40 and Abhishek Sharma's 32 off 16. It was fittingly ironic that SRH would finish their season with a blistering batting performance—something they had threatened to do since the opening match. They began the IPL with a record-shaking 286, the second-highest total ever, and closed with the third biggest.advertisementIn between, however, SRH floundered in a manner few had predicted.
The match against Kolkata Knight Riders served as a reminder of how fine the margins are in the IPL—and how a little luck can swing a season. Hyderabad, after an explosive start, were eventually undone by a rigid strategy. They had spoken all season about breaking the 300-run barrier, and in every game, they chased that goal.But with pitches offering more balance this year, their ultra-aggressive approach often backfired. By the time they adjusted, the playoff race had already slipped out of their hands—they needed to win every remaining match to stay in contention.Hyderabad won four of their last six matches, with one game washed out. That abandoned match against Delhi Capitals likely would have gone their way as well—they had restricted the opposition to just 133 in the first innings.advertisementAnd that point reinforces what Pat Cummins emphasized in his final post-match press conference of the season: SRH should have made the final, given the squad they had at their disposal.LEARNINGS FROM IPL 2025There was a noticeable shift in tone from SRH in how they approached their media duties this season. Last year, it was all about, 'We don't care about the losses; we'll aim for 250 every game.' But about 60% into the 2025 season, players and coaches started to realise that a one-dimensional, inflexible approach wasn't the smartest path forward.Cummins admitted after the KKR game that they should've been willing to grind out scores in the 170–180 range instead of always going hard, which too often led to collapses.From an SRH fan's perspective, the sight of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head absorbing pressure and then launching into big shots was a major positive. At the start of the season, the pair looked out of sync—even running each other out in the opening few games.The fact that Ishan Kishan showed such commitment and delivered strong performances toward the end of the season might well earn him a retention spot next year.SRH also unearthed a top all-rounder in Harsh Dubey and a promising pacer in Eshan Malinga—both of whom will add strength to the squad moving forward.advertisementAll in all, the final three matches—against LSG, RCB, and KKR—offered a glimpse into what this season could have been for SRH. And, just as importantly, they lay the foundation for building a stronger, smarter team for next year.Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!
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Bengaluru stampede: ‘Everything that could go wrong, went wrong'
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39 minutes ago
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News18
an hour ago
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Bengaluru Stampede: Crowd Control Lapses, Political Blame Game, And Many Questions
Last Updated: The Siddaramaiah-led government has suspended the Bengaluru police commissioner and three senior cops while calling for the arrest of RCB, DNA, and KSCA representatives The tragic stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which resulted in 11 deaths, has raised questions on security protocols, crowd management, and preparedness during big events. It has also triggered a fierce political blame game between the ruling Congress and BJP, even as grieving families demand accountability. The incident took place during victory celebrations for the the IPL-winning team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), which brought the trophy home after an 18-year wait. In the latest development, initiating a series of disciplinary actions, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has suspended the Bengaluru police commissioner and three other senior police officials while calling for the arrest of representatives of RCB, DNA event management and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Administrative Committee. These entities have already been booked on charges of criminal negligence at Cubbon Park police station. 'RCB DIDN'T CONSULT US' According to the police, RCB's promotional campaign, including social media posts, promised free access to the victory celebrations that added to the crowd surge. 'They didn't consult us. The police were left with no choice," a senior police officer said. Stretched thin from the previous night's match between RCB and Punjab Kings, the police were overburdened. 'Within hours, we were forced to provide security for two major events without formal approval from the state police," an official said. Key factors behind the stampede incident included lack of coordination, poor crowd estimation, and protocol violations. The police are reviewing social media posts by RCB that may have led to an overwhelming response. With the force already exhausted from match-day duties, RCB's tweet about the victory procession worsened the pressure. 'The decision to proceed with the event came within hours of the win, giving the police hardly any time to prepare," a senior officer said. WHO WILL GIVE US ANSWERS, ASK VICTIMS' KIN Distraught families of the victims blamed the administration and police for what they saw as a total failure in planning and emergency response. 'There was not a single ambulance in sight. No medical help. Who will bring my child back?" said the inconsolable mother of 20-year-old Prajwal, who attended the event after telling his parents that he was visiting Bengaluru for a job interview. Among the deceased was 13-year-old Divyanshi from Andhra Pradesh, a devoted Virat Kohli fan and the youngest victim. She died from suffocation and a head injury near one of the gates. As part of the magisterial inquiry, Bengaluru deputy commissioner Jagadeesh said notices will be issued to RCB, Bengaluru police commissioner, KSCA, BBMP, BMRCL, and DPAR. Siddaramaiah maintained that the responsibility lay with RCB and KSCA. 'We didn't organise the celebrations, they did. We only participated because it's a Bengaluru team," he said. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar accused the BJP of politicising the tragedy. 'They're doing politics on the deathbed. They demanded a victory procession. If that had happened, imagine the chaos," he said. COURT STEPS IN The Karnataka High Court took suo motu cognizance of the tragedy, converting it into a public interest litigation to investigate the causes and failures leading to the stampede. The state government acknowledged the chaos outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A division bench led by acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice CM Joshi acted based on extensive media reports and public appeals. 'We have taken note of reports detailing the deaths and injuries during the RCB victory celebrations," the bench said. The court issued a notice to the state government, seeking details on emergency preparedness, including ambulance deployment at the Vidhana Soudha and the stadium. The next hearing is scheduled for June 10. Senior advocate Arun Shyam said the presence of two major gatherings on the same day compounded crowd control challenges. Representing the government, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty said although the stadium has a capacity of around 30,000, it was overwhelmed as nearly 2.5 lakh people arrived for the celebrations. 'Once free entry was announced, everyone assumed they'd be just one more person in the crowd, creating the stampede," Shetty said. 'The police commissioner and 1,318 police personnel out of a total of 1,483 deployed were present on the ground. We are as concerned as the public. The chief minister's immediate response was to announce compensation and medical care. We've been working through the night." CONGRESS VS BJP The BJP has accused the ruling Congress of mismanagement and a breakdown of police control in handling the large crowd. They questioned the decision to host the celebration under such circumstances. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje called for Shivakumar's resignation and demanded an independent inquiry led by a sitting high court judge. She criticised the Congress-led government for rushing into the event without adequate planning. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya blamed the state government, accusing Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of turning the event into a personal showcase. He insisted the government take full responsibility and provide financial compensation to the victims' kin. 'This was a completely preventable tragedy caused by the government's own actions," Surya said, alleging that the chief minister's public invitation to fans without proper security measures triggered the chaos. Despite knowing the fan frenzy, he posted an open call for celebrations without making necessary arrangements to ensure safety, he said. State BJP president BY Vijayendra called for a judicial investigation, describing the tragedy as 'avoidable". He said the stampede took place before the players had left the Taj West End Hotel and questioned the government's decision to proceed with the IPL victory celebrations at the Vidhana Soudha despite reports of deaths and injuries. In response, the Congress blamed the RCB franchise and the KSCA for organising the event without proper coordination with authorities. BLAME SHIFTING Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said the ceremony was initiated by RCB and KSCA, and the government only facilitated it. Parameshwara stressed that the event was not government-initiated and that it took part as RCB is the home team. He said had RCB not announced the celebrations at Chinnaswamy Stadium, the crowd would not have reached unmanageable levels. 'We expected around 1 lakh people near the Vidhana Soudha and another 40,000 inside the stadium. But nearly 8 lakh people came, many of them RCB fans," he said. Despite the unfolding stampede, Shivakumar continued with the felicitation ceremony inside the stadium. The BJP slammed him for insensitivity, accusing the government of prioritising optics over lives. top videos View all Pictures surfaced of Shivakumar felicitating players while the tragedy unfolded just outside the stadium. A police source said international players were in a hurry to leave as many wanted to return home, adding pressure to speed up the event. The state government announced that RCB and KSCA will be included in the inquiry. RCB offered a compensation of Rs 10 lakh per family for those who lost their loved ones and launched a fund called 'RCB Cares' for the injured. About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18's digital platform. She has previously worked with More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : bengaluru stampede Location : Bengaluru, India, India First Published: June 05, 2025, 22:55 IST News india Bengaluru Stampede: Crowd Control Lapses, Political Blame Game, And Many Questions
