Eshan Malinga’s Yorker Masterclass Stuns Rajasthan Royals in IPL Play of the Day

There is still no real substitute for the yorker. In an era of endless variations, it remains the one delivery batters struggle to counter.

Eshan Malinga, mentored by the legendary Lasith Malinga, has embraced that craft—and on Saturday in Jaipur, it paid rich dividends. His pinpoint execution at the death powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a five-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

YORKER MASTERCLASS AT THE DEATH

On a night dominated by the bat—highlighted by 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s stunning 36-ball hundred—Malinga’s 19th over stood out. He conceded just five runs, delivering a stream of searing yorkers with unerring accuracy.

With Donovan Ferreira and Shimron Hetmyer poised to launch a late assault, Malinga slammed the brakes. Two suffocating dot balls set the tone, cramping Hetmyer for room. Ferreira, too, found no escape as Malinga repeatedly nailed the blockhole.

The breakthrough came via a low full toss that Ferreira mistimed straight to Heinrich Klaasen in the deep. By the time a boundary arrived off the final ball, the damage had already been done.

That over proved decisive. Had Rajasthan pushed past 230, the chase could have looked very different.

SRH’S LATE STRANGLEHOLD

At 175/3 in 14 overs, Rajasthan appeared set for a mammoth total. Instead, Hyderabad pulled things back brilliantly, conceding just 53 runs in the final six overs.

Captain Pat Cummins played his part too, giving away just four runs in the 17th over and dismissing Riyan Parag with a pinpoint yorker of his own.

MALINGA’S RAPID RISE

Far from a one-off, this was another chapter in Malinga’s growing influence this season. After a tough start—conceding 35 runs in two overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru—he has emerged as one of Hyderabad’s most reliable weapons.

In the seven matches since, he has claimed 14 wickets at an economy of 8.8, placing him among the leading wicket-takers in the tournament. Barring one expensive outing against Punjab Kings, he has been consistently impactful.

A standout performance came against Delhi Capitals, where he picked up four wickets and nearly completed a hat-trick—further proof of his ability to swing games in a matter of deliveries.

SRH FIND THEIR EDGE

With Malinga peaking and Cummins back in rhythm, Sunrisers Hyderabad are beginning to look like a complete unit. A bowling attack once seen as a weakness has turned into a strength.

From losing three of their first four matches to climbing into the top three, Hyderabad’s turnaround has been one of the stories of the season—and Malinga has been central to it.

Next up is a trip to Mumbai, where he could feature in front of his mentor Lasith Malinga against Mumbai Indians. Conditions may still favour batters, but if recent form is any guide, Hyderabad will once again bank on their yorker specialist to deliver.