Raghuvanshi's fifty in vain as SRH beats KKR by 65 runs; Unadkat picks 3/21

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured their first victory of the TATA IPL 2026 campaign with a comprehensive 65-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. After being put in to bat, SRH posted a formidable 226/8 in their 20 overs, driven by explosive starts and a middle-order anchor. The KKR chase never truly found its rhythm despite a rapid start, eventually collapsing for 161 in 16 overs as SRH bowlers maintained relentless pressure.

The SRH innings was ignited by a blistering 82-run opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma (48 off 21) and Travis Head (46 off 21). Abhishek was particularly severe on Varun Chakaravarthy, plundering 24 runs in a single over. Heinrich Klaasen then provided the backbone of the innings, smashing a quick-fire 52 off 35 balls—his second consecutive half-century of the season. Late cameos from Nitish Kumar Reddy (39 off 24) ensured SRH crossed the 220-run mark, even as KKR's Blessing Muzarabani impressed with a four-wicket haul.

KKR's response began with a sensational yet brief cameo from Finn Allen, who hammered 28 runs off just 7 balls before falling to Harsh Dubey. Youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi kept KKR in the hunt with a spirited 52 off 29 balls, and Rinku Singh added a defiant 35. However, a series of dismissals, including a bizarre run-out of Cameron Green and a mix-up that cost Raghuvanshi his wicket, derailed the chase. Jaydev Unadkat led the SRH bowling attack with 3 wickets, while Nitish Kumar Reddy capped off a brilliant all-round game with 2 wickets.