Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 wickets in Match 45 of IPL 2026 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. The visitors delivered a calm and controlled performance. The home side struggled in both departments.
With this win, KKR recorded their third victory in 9 matches. They stayed in 8th place in the points table. SRH remained in 3rd position, but their five match winning streak ended.
SRH scored 165 runs in 19 overs. The total looked below par despite a strong start. Travis Head played a quick knock of 61 off 28 balls. Ishan Kishan added 42 off 29 balls.
The middle order failed to support the openers. There were no steady partnerships after the powerplay. The batting collapse at home cost SRH a competitive total.
KKR bowlers used the spin friendly pitch well. Varun Chakravarthy took three wickets and led the attack. Sunil Narine and Kartik Tyagi picked two wickets each.
The bowling unit stayed disciplined and tight. They did not allow SRH to build momentum. This effort restricted the total effectively.
In the chase, KKR stayed in control from the start. Captain Ajinkya Rahane scored 45 off 36 balls. He played a steady anchor role at the top.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi continued his good form. He scored 59 off 47 balls with patience. The partnership ensured there was no pressure during the chase.
Rinku Singh finished the game with 22 off 11 balls. KKR reached the target with 10 balls remaining. The chase looked simple and well planned.
SRH bowling looked below average in this match. Pat Cummins, Shivang Kumar, and Shakib Hussain took one wicket each. They could not create pressure at any stage.
Runs were given away regularly. The bowlers failed to break the Rahane and Raghuvanshi partnership. Fielding mistakes made things worse for the team.
There was no real contest during the chase. SRH could not challenge KKR at any point. The match stayed one sided after the first innings.
This result shows SRH still hold a strong table position. However, they need to improve middle order batting and fielding. KKR, on the other hand, have kept their playoff hopes alive.
