KKR chase down SRH as Varun, Raghuvanshi star

Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 wickets with 10 balls remaining in Match 45 of the Indian Premier League, with Varun Chakravarthy setting it up through a decisive 3 for 36 before Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 59 off 47 guided the chase. KKR’s win came against the pre-match odds and kept the league table race moving into a crucial final stretch.

This was another significant result in a season that has already seen sharp swings in momentum. Sunrisers had arrived after winning four of their previous five matches in the listed results, including victories in Matches 31, 36 and 41, while Kolkata had shown resilience too, winning Match 28 and then edging the Super Over in Match 38. Match 45 did not decide the tournament, but it extended the IPL league phase and added another twist with plenty still to come.

Sunrisers race away, then lose their grip

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 165 in 19 overs was built around a blistering start from Travis Head, who smashed 61 from just 28 balls with nine fours and three sixes. Abhishek Sharma gave him early support with 15 from 10, and Head’s tempo ensured SRH were quickly into attacking mode.

The innings retained substance when Ishan Kishan made 42 from 29 balls, striking four fours and two sixes. For a while, SRH looked set for more than 165, especially with Head having done the hard work up top and Kishan keeping the middle overs moving. Heinrich Klaasen chipped in with 11 from 8, but Kolkata’s bowlers kept finding timely wickets and never allowed the innings to explode fully at the death.

The turning point with the ball was the collective control KKR found after the powerplay surge. Varun Chakravarthy finished with 3 for 36 from his four overs and removed key resistance in the middle order. Sunil Narine backed that up with 2 for 31, while Kartik Tyagi’s 2 for 30 also played an important role in checking the scoring. Vaibhav Arora took 1 for 25 and Anukul Roy’s single over brought 1 for 8, helping ensure SRH were dismissed with a full over unused.

That final detail mattered. Sunrisers lost momentum as Ravichandran Smaran fell for 4, Aniket Verma managed 6 from 8, Salil Arora made 2 from 6, and the lower order could not convert the platform. Pat Cummins struck 10 from 8, Harshal Patel added 6 from 5, but SRH’s finish lacked the force their start had promised.

Raghuvanshi and Rahane keep KKR on track

Chasing 166, Kolkata began briskly through Finn Allen, whose 29 off 13 balls featured three fours and two sixes and immediately reduced the pressure of the target. Once Allen fell, Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi took control in calmer fashion.

Rahane’s 43 from 36 balls was not the most explosive innings on show, but it gave KKR shape. He struck four fours and one six, rotated well, and ensured wickets in hand for the closing phase. Raghuvanshi then played the defining knock of the chase, making 59 from 47 with five fours and two sixes. He judged the tempo well, absorbing pressure when needed and then accelerating as the target came into range.

Rinku Singh’s unbeaten 22 from 11 balls, with two fours and a six, gave the chase its finishing thrust. Cameron Green was unbeaten on 3 from 3 as KKR reached 169 for 3 in 18.2 overs. The margin, 10 balls remaining, underlined how effectively they managed the pursuit after SRH’s early punch.

For Sunrisers, Sakib Hussain returned 1 for 17 in 3 overs and Shivang Kumar took 1 for 31 in 4, but Pat Cummins’ 1 for 47 in 4 overs and Eshan Malinga’s 0 for 42 in 3.2 proved expensive on a night when SRH could not quite squeeze the chase in the middle overs.

Key performers

• Varun Chakravarthy (KKR): 3/36 in 4 overs, the spell that broke SRH’s shape after their rapid start.
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi (KKR): 59 off 47 balls, the top score of the chase and the innings that anchored victory.
• Travis Head (SRH): 61 off 28 balls, the most explosive innings of the match and the foundation of SRH’s 165.
• Ishan Kishan (SRH): 42 off 29 balls, important middle-order support after Head’s assault.
• Ajinkya Rahane (KKR): 43 off 36 balls, a stabilising contribution in the chase.

NerdSports Stat: SRH had two batters score 40-plus and still failed to bat 20 overs, while KKR’s chase featured only one fifty yet they got home with 10 balls to spare.

What this means in the IPL

As Match 45 of 70, this result keeps the Indian Premier League league phase wide open rather than deciding anything outright. Sunrisers, who had been one of the form sides in recent results, were checked here, while Kolkata strengthened their position with a composed chase and a bowling effort that recovered impressively after Head’s early blitz.

There is no pause in the schedule. Later on Sunday, May 3, Gujarat Titans face Punjab Kings, before Mumbai Indians meet Lucknow Super Giants on Monday, May 4. Sunrisers are next in action against Punjab Kings on Wednesday, May 6, while Kolkata Knight Riders play Delhi Capitals on Friday, May 8.

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