Kolkata: In a thrilling IPL 2026 encounter at Eden Gardens, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) registered their first win of the season with a commanding 65-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Powered by Heinrich Klaasen’s half-century and Jaydev Unadkat’s fiery three-wicket haul, SRH outclassed the hosts in all departments to secure two crucial points.
After being put in to bat by KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, SRH’s top order came out all guns blazing. Travis Head (46 off 21) and Abhishek Sharma (48 off 21) set the tone with a blistering opening partnership, hammering the KKR bowlers in the powerplay. Klaasen then anchored the innings with a composed 35-ball 52, guiding SRH to a mammoth total of 226/8. Despite Blessing Muzarabani’s impressive four-wicket haul for KKR, the visitors’ batting depth proved too strong.
Chasing 227, KKR’s innings never gained momentum. While young Angkrish Raghuvanshi showed promise with a gritty half-century, the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under pressure. SRH’s bowling attack, led by Unadkat (3/28), dismantled KKR’s middle and lower order, bundling them out for 161 in just 18.3 overs. The disciplined bowling effort ensured that KKR fell well short of the target.
Speaking after the match, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane admitted, “We had a couple of partnerships, but the set batters needed to bat deep. Credit to SRH for their all-round performance.”
With this emphatic win, SRH have bounced back after their opening loss, while KKR will need to regroup quickly to stay in contention this season.