Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) stunned Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with an 80-run victory at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, handing the 2024 finalists their heaviest defeat in Indian Premier League (IPL) history.
On a slow pitch in Kolkata, SRH’s chase of KKR’s 201 quickly faltered. After a poor fielding performance that allowed KKR to post 200/6, SRH’s batting collapse saw them bowled out for just 120 runs in 16.4 overs.
KKR’s pace attack, led by Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora, struck early, reducing SRH to 9/3 within the first three overs.
Key batters Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan were dismissed for single-digit scores, leaving the visitors on the back foot for the rest of the chase. The Kolkata bowlers maintained pressure with disciplined and controlled deliveries, exploiting the slow pitch.
Despite a brief fightback from Kamindu Mendis (27) and Aniket Verma (6), SRH’s batting never recovered.
KKR’s spinners, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, restricted the middle overs, conceding just 49 runs in seven overs. The match was wrapped up comfortably as SRH’s innings folded quickly.
KKR’s fielding also stood out, with only one dropped chance, Andre Russell missing a tough opportunity off Mendis, but he made amends by dismissing Nitish Kumar Reddy immediately afterward.
At the crease, KKR adapted well to the conditions. Although openers Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock fell cheaply, Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi steadied the innings with an 81-run partnership in 51 balls.
Rahane contributed 38 off 27 balls, while Raghuvanshi’s solid knock set the stage for a late surge from Venkatesh Iyer (60 off 29) and Rinku Singh (32* off 17), who powered KKR to a formidable total.
SRH, a side known for their big-hitting approach, failed to adjust to the slow pitch, resulting in both batting and bowling collapses. KKR capitalised on the situation, securing a dominant win and boosting their net run rate.
This emphatic victory marked a strong recovery for KKR following their defeat to Mumbai, while SRH now face the task of regrouping after their heaviest loss in IPL history.
The win propels KKR into a confident position ahead of their next match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 8.
