Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will play against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 68th match of IPL 2025. The game will begin at 7:30 PM at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. However, one major point of interest is the unpredictable Delhi weather, although conditions are expected to be clear on match day.
A Battle for Pride
This match will be the last league game for both teams. Neither side has made it to the playoffs, so they will compete purely for pride and to end their season on a high note. Interestingly, both teams had reached the final in the 2024 IPL season, where KKR defeated SRH in a one-sided game. Now, a year later, they meet in a contest that holds no bearing on qualification.
Motivation and Recent Form
KKR have little at stake, but a win could help them finish sixth in the standings. On the other hand, SRH appear more confident. They recently crushed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 42 runs. In contrast, KKR last played a full match on May 7, and their game against RCB was washed out due to rain.
SRH enter this game with strong momentum, having also beaten Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by six wickets with ten balls remaining. KKR have won two of their last three matches, while SRH have won three of their last four. Despite losing their last five games to KKR, SRH now look like the more prepared team.
Malinga’s Rising Stock
Eshan Malinga has turned into a key player for SRH. The franchise picked him for INR 1.2 crore after a bidding war with Rajasthan Royals. So far, he has taken 10 wickets in six matches, striking at least once in every game. His strong performances and brilliant fielding could make him a strong retention pick for IPL 2026.
KKR’s Middle-Order Struggles
KKR’s middle-order has underperformed this season. Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh struggled throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, Andre Russell and Rinku Singh found form only in the later stages. Due to these issues, KKR had the lowest run rate (7.8) and lowest batting average (20.8) between overs 7 to 16 among all teams. Sunday offers them one final chance to bounce back and prove their worth for the next season.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Arun Jaitley Stadium has changed in recent seasons. Earlier known for its slow, spin-friendly conditions, it now supports balanced contests between bat and ball. Batsmen can score heavily during the powerplay and death overs. However, the middle overs still provide opportunities for spinners to take control. Fast bowlers can also succeed with cutters and slower deliveries as the pitch wears down.
Because of short boundaries and a quick outfield, teams scoring over 180 runs usually gain an upper hand.
Weather Report
Fortunately, rain will not affect the match. According to AccuWeather, Delhi will see clear skies with only 6% cloud cover. The temperature will peak around 36°C in the afternoon and drop to 29°C in the evening. Humidity will hover around 64%, making the weather slightly sticky but not uncomfortable for players or fans.
Fans can expect a full 40-over match without interruptions.
Squads
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (w), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Harsh Dubey, Mohammed Shami, Sachin Baby, Zeeshan Ansari, Simarjeet Singh, Kamindu Mendis, Atharva Taide, Wiaan Mulder, Rahul Chahar, Smaran Ravichandran
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Shivam Shukla, Harshit Rana, Mayank Markande, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Chetan Sakariya, Manish Pandey