Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) put up a united effort, including Nitish Kumar Reddy’s all-round showing and Heinrich Klaasen’s useful half-century, to record a convincing 65-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and open its account on the Indian Premier League (IPL) table at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday.
After home skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss on his 200th appearance and inserted the visitors in, SRH relied on its flamboyant openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma’s breathtaking knocks and Klaasen and Nitish Kumar’s crucial contributions down the order to post a formidable 226 for eight.
In its first home match, KKR was all out for 161 to the disappointment of a packed house.
SRH’s southpaw opening duo unleashed carnage on a batter-friendly surface as the tourists raced to 84 for one in the PowerPlay.
Head (46) showcased his trademark fireworks on both sides by punishing Blessing Muzarabani and Vaibhav Arora, while Abhishek (48) plundered 25, hammering two sixes over long-on and three fours on the off-side, off Varun Chakaravarthy to dent the spinner’s confidence.
Abhishek Sharma fell just two short of his half-century after joining with Travis Head to give SRH a rapid start.
| Photo Credit:
K. R. DEEPAK
Abhishek Sharma fell just two short of his half-century after joining with Travis Head to give SRH a rapid start.
| Photo Credit:
K. R. DEEPAK
KKR fought back well. Head, who offered a hard chance on 34, miscued Kartik Tyagi to mid-on. KKR bowlers made further inroads and decelerated SRH’s run rate.
Muzarabani varied his length and pace to have stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan and Abhishek caught on the ropes. Anukul Roy and Sunil Narine bowled tidily in the middle overs.
For SRH, Klaasen (52) and Nitish Kumar (39) steadied the boat with an 82-run stand. Arora took two-in-two in the 19th over.
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Klaasen executed some big hits before falling to Muzarabani, who impressed with four wickets.
KKR stuttered in its reply as SRH bowlers, including Nitish Kumar (2/17), implemented their plans well. Finn Allen’s belligerence earned KKR 25 runs in the first over, but the Kiwi’s stay was short-lived. Rahane fell cheaply and Cameron Green was run out as KKR struggled at 74 for three.
Young Angkrish Raghuvanshi (52) showed maturity as he gathered runs, with the aid of fine cuts, to get his second consecutive half-century and keep the host’s chances alive. His run out followed by others’ dismissals hampered KKR’s progress.
Published on Apr 02, 2026
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