Holders KKR get their statement win at the expense of pretenders SRH
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After two defeats in three matches, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) needed a statement win to justify their tag as defending IPL champions. They couldn't have wished for a better setting than the visit of last season's losing finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad, to Eden Gardens.
With a crushing 80-run win, Ajinkya Rahane's KKR have propelled them back into the favourites zone. For SRH, what was perceived as a fleeting slip-up following a rivetting 44-run opening round win over Rajasthan Royals has stretched into a hat-trick of defeats.
SRH were bundled out 120 in 16.4 overs in response to KKR's 200/6. For a batting-heavy side that smashed 286/6 on their opening night in IPL 2025, threatening to breach 300 each time they padded up, tonight was a humbling experience.
Without Heinrich Klaasen's trademark big hits late in the innings and newcomer Kamindu Mendis' 20-ball 27, the SRH batting card would appear gloomy at best. Travis Head (2), who came in as an impact sub, was one of the three prized wickets of KKR's substitute Vaibhav Arora (3/29).
Abhishek Sharma (2), Ishan Kishan (2), Aniket Verma (6) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (19) failed miserably. Varun Chakravarthy bagged three wickets, including two in a row, which gave him a hat-trick chance, and Mohammed Shami somehow survived. Even Andre Russell claimed two late wickets, which should have done him a world of good, considering his slump in form.
Eden Gardens gave SRH bowlers hope early on after their skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl. SRH had batted in all three of their previous matches, so it was an interesting option.
But the idea made sense after Cummins removed Quinton de Kock in the second over and Mohammed Shami dismissed Sunil Narine (7). That was before Rahane (38) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (50) let the conditions settle and eased KKR into the game. Venkatesh Iyer top scored with 60 off just 29 balls.
Rahane forged an 81-run stand for the third wicket with Raghuvanshi before Iyer and Rinku Singh (32) stitched up a powerful 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Brief scores: KKR 200/6 (Venkatesh Iyer 60, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 50, Rahane 38, Rinku 30 not out) bt SRH 120 in 16.4 overs (Klaasen 33, Mendis 27, Vaibhav Arora 3/29, Varun Chakravarthy 3/22, Andre Russell 2/21)