IPL 2025: Venkatesh, Vaibhav, Varun shine as KKR crush SRH by 80 runs
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 3 (ANI): Fiery bowling spells by Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakravarthy helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) seal an 80-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.
With this win, KKR’s campaign is somewhat back on track as with two wins andtwo losses. They are in the fifth spot. SRH are at the bottom with a win and three losses.
During the run-chase of 201 runs, SRH could not have asked for a start more worse as they lost their entire top three of Travis Head (4), Abhishek Sharma (2) and Ishan Kishan (2) to Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana. SRH sunk to 9/3 in 2.1 overs.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Kamindu Mendis tried to stitch a partnership, with NKR trying to take down Vaibhav with two fours and a six in the fifth over.
At the end of six overs, SRH was 33/3, with Nitish (19) and Kamindu (5). Kamindu tried to ease off pressure with a four and six against Andre Russell in the next over, but Russell had the last laugh as he got Nitish caught by Sunil Narine at long-on for 19 in 15 balls, with two fours and six. SRH was 44/4 in 6.4 overs.
Kamindu tried to attack Narine, but a half-hearted attempt at pulling landed into hands of Anukul Roy for 27 in 20 balls, with a four and two sixes. SRH was 66/5 in 9.3 overs.
Aniket Verma, the hero for SRH in the previous match, was dismissed cheaply for six by Varun Chakravarthy. SRH was 75/6 in 10.4 overs.
Everything was falling apart of SRH as within the next 29 runs, they lost their three wickets, with Varun Chakravarthy getting two of those. This also included their last hope, Klaasen, who was dismissed for 33 in 21 balls, with two fours and two sixes.
KKR bundled out SRH for just 120 in 16.4 overs, winning the game by 80 runs.
Vaibhav (3/29) and Varun (3/22) were top bowlers for KKR. Andre Russell took 2/21, while Harshit and Rana got one each.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) put up a commanding total of 200/6 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Eden Gardens on Thursday, thanks to a strong finish from Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh. Their crucial 91-run partnership propelled KKR past the 200-run mark after a shaky start.
Batting first, KKR had a rocky beginning as Quinton de Kock fell early for 1, dismissed by SRH skipper Pat Cummins. Sunil Narine followed soon after, managing 7 runs before being sent back, leaving KKR at 16/2 within the first 2.3 overs.
However, captain Ajinkya Rahane and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi steadied the innings with a crucial 81-run partnership. Rahane played an aggressive knock of 38 off 27 balls, striking four sixes and a boundary before being dismissed by Zeeshan Ansari.
Raghuvanshi, continuing his fine form, registered his second Indian Premier League (IPL) fifty, scoring 50 off 32 balls with five fours and two sixes. His dismissal at 12.4 overs left KKR at 106/4, putting pressure on the middle order.
With KKR looking uncertain to reach 200, Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh took charge. Iyer, who initially struggled, found his rhythm and hammered a 28-ball 60, marking his third consecutive fifty against SRH. His innings included seven boundaries and three maximums, ensuring momentum for the hosts.
Rinku Singh provided solid support with an unbeaten 32 off 17 balls, smashing four boundaries and a six. Their 91-run stand shifted the tide in KKR’s favour, helping them accelerate in the death overs.
Iyer’s blistering knock ended in the final over when Harshal Patel dismissed him, but by then, KKR had already ensured a competitive total. Andre Russell had minimal impact with the bat, but his contribution wasn’t needed, given the explosive finish by Iyer and Rinku.
SRH’s bowlers had a mixed outing, with wickets spread evenly. Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Zeeshan Ansari, Harshal Patel, and Kamindu Mendis each picked up a wicket but struggled to contain KKR’s late onslaught.
Brief Scores: KKR: 200/6 (Venkatesh Iyer 60, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 50, Mohammed Shami 1/29) and SRH: 120 (Heinrich Klaasen 33, Kamindu Mendis 27, Varun Chakravarthy 3/22).
