Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) outclassed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 7 wickets in the 45th match of IPL 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
After being decided to bat first, Sunrisers Hyderabad managed to score 165 runs and were bowled out with six balls remaining. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head gave SRH a flying start. They added a quickfire 44 runs for the first wicket in 3.4 overs before Abhishek was dismissed by Kartik Tyagi in the fourth over.
Ishan Kishan, who came in at No. 3, added another quickfire 61 runs in the next 32 balls. When Travis Head was dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy in the ninth over, Sunrisers Hyderabad were cruising at 105/2. Head scored a blazing 61 off 28 balls.
However, things changed after that. SRH added only 60 more runs and were all out in 19 overs. Varun Chakravarthy (3/36 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for KKR, while Kartik Tyagi and Sunil Narine took two wickets each.
While chasing, Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen gave KKR a strong start. They added 49 runs for the first wicket in four overs. After Finn Allen was dismissed by Pat Cummins in the fourth over, Angkrish Raghuvanshi joined Rahane. They built an 84-run partnership for the second wicket.
When Rahane was dismissed by Sakib Hussain in the 15th over, KKR were at 133/2. Raghuvanshi also got out in the 17th over. Rinku Singh and Cameron Green then finished the match for KKR with 10 balls to spare.
Sakib Hussain (1/17 in 3 overs) was the most successful bowler for Sunrisers Hyderabad. With this win, KKR earned two crucial points, while Sunrisers Hyderabad need to improve as the playoff race is becoming tougher with each match.
KKR dominate chase with ease
KKR started aggressively in the chase. They scored 71 runs in the powerplay and maintained control throughout. The team secured their third straight win by seven wickets, finishing the match with ten balls to spare.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi played a key role with a career-best 59 off 47 balls. He anchored the innings and ensured there were no major setbacks.
Travis Head powers SRH early
SRH began strongly after choosing to bat. Travis Head attacked from the start. He hit four boundaries in a single over against Vaibhav Arora and continued to score freely.
Head also targeted Narine, hitting him for a six and a four in quick succession. Meanwhile, Narine kept things tight in his opening over, conceding only nine runs.
Head then attacked Cameron Green and reached his half-century in just 22 balls. Despite a quick wicket of Abhishek Sharma by Kartik Tyagi, SRH crossed 70 in the powerplay, continuing their aggressive approach.
Varun sparks collapse after Head’s dismissal
Head looked set for a big score but fell in the ninth over after scoring quickly against Varun. This wicket changed the game completely. Varun then dismissed debutant R Smaran and Aniket Verma, breaking SRH’s momentum.
As the pitch slowed down, batting became tougher. However, SRH batters continued to play attacking shots, which led to more wickets. Varun has now regained form after a difficult phase. He has picked at least two wickets in each of his last four matches.
Narine reaches milestone and tightens grip
Heinrich Klaasen started well but was dismissed for 11 after a stunning catch by Rovman Powell. Narine then achieved a major milestone. He became the first overseas bowler to take 200 IPL wickets. He dismissed Salil Arora with a sharp delivery and then removed Ishan Kishan for 42.
SRH slipped to 148 for 7 in 16 overs and could only add a few more runs before getting bowled out for the first time this season.
KKR chase built on strong start
Finn Allen gave KKR a flying start. He attacked Pat Cummins, hitting three fours and two sixes. However, Cummins dismissed him with a slower delivery. KKR still reached 71 in the powerplay, one of their best starts this season.
After that, Ajinkya Rahane and Raghuvanshi stabilised the innings. They built an 84-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rahane scored 43 before getting out.
Raghuvanshi then fell to Shivang Kumar, but KKR remained in control.
Rinku and Green finish the job
Rinku Singh and Cameron Green guided KKR to the target without further trouble. Their calm finish ensured a comfortable win. KKR’s all-round performance, led by spin dominance and a steady chase, brought an end to SRH’s impressive winning streak.
Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine led Kolkata Knight Riders to a dominant win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. They used the slow Hyderabad pitch effectively and shared five wickets between them.
SRH looked in control at 105 for 1 in the ninth over. However, they suddenly collapsed and were bowled out for 165 in 19 overs. During this spell, Narine also reached a major milestone by joining the IPL’s 200-wicket club. Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for regular updates!