IPL 2026: Clinical SRH beat KKR by 65 runs; Klaasen, Abhishek, Unadkat shine

KOLKATA: A clinical show from Sunrisers Hyderabad, which included quickfire knocks from Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma and fine bowling performances from Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga and Nitish Kumar Reddy helped them achieve their first win of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), beating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 65 runs at Kolkata on Thursday.

Put to field first, SRH posted 226/8, with Heinrich Klaasen (52 in 35 balls, with four boundaries and a six), Abhishek Sharma (48 in 21 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (39 in 24 balls, with four boundaries and a six). KKR started off chasing fine with Finn Allen (28 in seven balls, with three sixes and two sixes) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (52 in 29 balls, with six fours and two sixes), but fizzled out quickly to bundle out for 161 in 16 overs.

During the run-chase of 227 runs, Finn Allen started by smoking David Payne for 25 runs in the first over itself, with three fours and two sixes. However, after a boundary against Harsh Dubey, he fell to the spinner for a seven-ball 28 (with four boundaries and two sixes). KKR was 29/1 in 1.3 overs.

No wins while defending a total? @SunRisers get it done

A brilliant win for the Orange Army to break the jinx #TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #KKRvSRH pic.twitter.com/cuzpPyhqSe

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 2, 2026

Angkrish Raghuvanshi collected runs in a free-flowing manner against spin, smashing Abhishek Sharma for two sixes and Harsh Dubey for a four. KKR reached the 50-run mark in 3.2 overs. The right-hander got two successive fours against Jaydev Unadkat in the fifth over.

KKR’s happy run ended with an absolutely nothing shot from skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who was dismissed by Unadkat with a catch from Eshan Malinga. KKR was 67/2 in five overs. KKR’s power play ended on a poor note with Cameron Green involved in a very unfortunate run-out for just two runs. KKR ended at 74/3 in six overs.

Raghuvanshi was joined by Rinku Singh, and the duo rotated strike well with a few boundaries in between, reaching the 100-run mark in 8.5 overs. Raghuvanshi brought up his back-to-back fifties in 27 balls, with six fours and two sixes. Halfway through, KKR was 110/3, with Raghuvanshi (51*) and Rinku (16*) unbeaten.

The 46-run stand between the duo ended, with Raghuvanshi run out for a 29-ball 52. KKR was 120/4 in 11 overs. After Raghuvanshi’s wicket, KKR lost their way, losing Anukul Roy (0), Rinku Singh (35 in 25 balls, with four boundaries and a six), Sunil Narine (12 in four balls) and Ramandeep Singh (10 in nine balls), sinking to 159/8 in 15 overs.

KKR’s downfall continued, with Kartik Tyagi gone for five runs to Unadkat. KKR was 161/9 in 15.5 overs. Varun Chakravarthy was the last one to fall to Unadkat (3/21) as KKR was all out for 161 runs in 16 overs. Eshan (2/14) and Nitish (2/17) were among the wickets for SRH as well.

Earlier, a brilliant half-century from Heinrich Klaasen and fiery knocks of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma helped Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) post a daunting total of 226/8. After being asked bat, Sunrisers Hyderabad openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma combined to hammer 22/0 in two overs. During the third over of Vaibhav Arora, both Hyderabad openers slammed 21 runs as their side’s total reached 43/0 in three overs.

During the fifth over, Abhishek Sharma blasted 25 runs off spinner Varun Chakaravarthy as Hyderabad scored 71/0 in five overs. 25 runs is the joint-most Chakaravarthy conceded in an over in T20s alongside as many for KXIP (Now Punjab Kings) vs KKR in 2019.

In the very next over, speedster Kartik Tyagi broke the 82-run opening stand after he removed Travis Head for 46 off 21 balls, with six fours and three sixes. After the end of the first power play, SRH made 84/1. According to CricViz, this is SRH’s third-highest score in the Powerplay when setting a total in IPL history after posting 124/0 against Delhi Capitals in 2024 and 94/1 against Rajasthan Royals in the 2025 edition. After the end of the seventh over, Hyderabad scored 98/1.

During the ninth over, speedster Blessing Muzarabani took two wickets to stop the run flow of SRH. The right-arm pacer first removed captain Ishan Kishan (14 off nine balls, with three fours) and then took the crucial wicket of Abhishek Sharma, who scored 48 off 21 balls, with four towering sixes and four fours. SRH was down to 112/3 in 8.4 overs.

In the very next over, spinner Anukul Roy removed Aniket Verma (1) as Hyderabad slumped to 123/4 after the end of the 10th over. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen steadied the ship for their side as Hyderabad posted 168/4 in 15 overs.

During the 18th over, Kartik Tyagi conceded 16 runs as Hyderabad reached a commanding position of 200/4. In the very next over, Vaibhav Arora took back-to-back wickets of Nitish Reddy, who scored 39 off 24 balls, with five boundaries and Salil Arora for a golden duck.

Klaasen slammed 52 off 35 balls, with four boundaries and a six, as Hyderabad posted a challenging total of 226/8 in 20 overs. For KKR, speedster Blessing Muzarabani picked up a four-wicket haul.

Brief Scores: SRH: 226/8 (Heinrich Klaasen 52, Nitish Kumar Reddy 39, Blessing Muzarabani 4/41) beat KKR: 161 in 16 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 52, Rinku Singh 35, Jaydev Unadkat 3/21). (ANI)