Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 4: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) etched their name in the Indian Premier League (IPL) record books, becoming the first team to register 20-plus wins against three different franchises. Their emphatic 80-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the ongoing season further solidified their dominance.
Playing at home, KKR executed their game plan to perfection, silencing the Pat Cummins-led SRH with a commanding performance. With this victory, the two-time IPL champions now boast 20 wins each against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, along with a record 21 victories over Punjab Kings.
A Commanding Batting Performance
Opting to bat first after SRH skipper Cummins won the toss, KKR faced early setbacks as openers Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine fell cheaply, leaving them at 16/2. However, a stunning counterattack by captain Ajinkya Rahane (38 off 27 balls, 1 four, 4 sixes) and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi (50 off 32 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) shifted the momentum back in KKR’s favor.
Despite losing both set batters in quick succession, KKR continued their charge with Venkatesh Iyer (60 off 29 balls, 7 fours, 3 sixes) and Rinku Singh (32* off 17 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) forging a crucial 91-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Their efforts propelled KKR to a formidable total of 200/6 in their 20 overs.
SRH Collapse in the Chase
Chasing 201, Sunrisers Hyderabad crumbled under pressure as KKR’s bowlers struck early, dismantling the top order during the powerplay. Only Heinrich Klaasen (33 off 21 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) and Kamindu Mendis (27 off 20 balls, 1 four, 2 sixes) offered brief resistance before the KKR bowling attack, led by Vaibhav Arora (3/29) and Varun Chakravarthy (3/22), sealed the game.
With this commanding win, KKR climbed to the fifth position in the points table with two wins and two losses. Meanwhile, SRH’s struggles continued as they found themselves at the bottom, managing just one win from four matches.