A clinical all-round performance powered Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a convincing seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), ending the latter’s five-match winning streak in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.
Bowlers Set Up the Win
KKR’s triumph was set up by their spinners, led by Varun Chakravarthy (3/36) and veteran Sunil Narine (2/31), who combined to dismantle SRH for 165 in 19 overs.
Chakravarthy continued his impressive run, picking at least two wickets for the fourth consecutive match. Narine, meanwhile, achieved a major milestone, becoming only the third bowler in IPL history to reach 200 wickets. He joined Bhuvneshwar Kumar (215 wickets) and Yuzvendra Chahal (228 wickets) in the elite club.
SRH Collapse After Strong Start
Opting to bat, SRH looked dominant early on, racing to 77/1 in the powerplay and 107/2 at the halfway stage. Travis Head smashed a quickfire 61 off 28 balls, while Ishan Kishan contributed 42 off 29 balls.
However, the innings unraveled dramatically after Head’s dismissal in the ninth over. SRH lost nine wickets for just 60 runs in the final 10 overs, marking their first all-out innings of the IPL 2026 season. Kartik Tyagi added two wickets to aid KKR’s bowling effort.
Steady Chase Seals Victory
Chasing 166, KKR got off to a flying start with Finn Allen smashing 39 off just 13 balls before falling early.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane (43) and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi (59) then steadied the innings with an 84-run partnership, ensuring there were no further hiccups.
Rinku Singh finished the match in style, remaining unbeaten on 22 and hitting the winning boundary as KKR reached 169/3 in 18.2 overs, with 10 balls to spare.
Match Summary
- SRH: 165 all out (19 overs) — Head 61, Kishan 42; Chakravarthy 3/36, Narine 2/31
- KKR: 169/3 (18.2 overs) — Raghuvanshi 59, Rahane 43
The win marks KKR’s third consecutive victory, boosting their momentum in the tournament, while SRH will look to regroup after a rare batting collapse.
