Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Match 15 Match Summary

Right then, that is it from this rather one-sided affair. Next up in the Indian Premier League 2025 is a clash between Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians at the Ekana Stadium. That will be played on 4th March, Friday, at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as you know, you can join us early for all the build-up to the match. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

The victorious skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane, says that this game was really important for them and that too with a big margin so that they can go up in the points table. Adds that after being sent in to bat first, it was pretty challenging, but the discussion was all about consolidating after the two early wickets and then, with wickets in hand, unleashing yourself in the end, and he is pretty happy with all the batting unit. Mentions that they just want to stay in the moment and aren’t thinking much about ahead, but there are many lessons for the batters from this game. States that the chat was about to cash those last 30 balls when Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh were batting and got more than 60 runs. Those batters are well capable of doing this, and they have Ramandeep and Moeen in the dugout as well. Tells that initially they thought that 180 could be a par total on this surface, and they have got that 20 runs extra going at the end of the first inning. Says that the ball was gripping up, and all the bowlers, including Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Vaibhav Arora, bowled really well and picked up those crucial wickets.

Vaibhav Arora is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his spectacular bowling display as an impact player for KKR. He took 3 wickets and just conceded 29 runs off his 4 overs. He begins by expressing his delight. On the challenge of bowling as an impact player, he says he prepares himself by learning the game situation and how the wicket is playing. Adds that he is told in advance that he will be going in as the impact player. Mentions there's not much swing left when they come to bowl the fifth or the sixth over, so they try to deploy different tactics. Highlights that the slower ones were gripping a bit, and they also tried to go for the yorkers. Mentions that they know how batters play these days and that they plan and discuss which batter can charge the first ball. Says it helps to have world-class spinners, but also admits it is the Pacers' job to give them a good start by taking early wickets.

The skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pat Cummins, says that it wasn’t a good night for them as he thought that this total was totally gettable at the end of the first inning because it was a pretty good wicket, but the batting lapses in the middle cost them. Adds that the last three games haven’t been good for them, but a few weeks ago, they batted out a score of over 280, and their batters do best when they take the game on, but they could have taken a different approach depending on the situation. Talks about the fielding, as they weren’t subpar today and dropped a couple of catches with some misfields. States that he isn’t too sure of playing Adam Zampa could have benefitted them as there wasn’t too much spin on the surface in the first inning. Concludes it that they could have done better with some alternate options, but it is a long tournament, and there is plenty of time left to catch up again.

Presentation Time...

Varun Chakaravarthy is up for a chat now. He says it was a good inning by Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and the way Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh took the innings to the deep was really impressive. Mentions that 200 was a par score and says they were confident to defend this one. Credits the fast bowlers by saying they were spot on. Appreciates Vaibhav Arora for being on the money, and all the wickets that he took were very important. On Rahane's captaincy, he says he is captaining for the first time, and this was his best game as he studied the situation nicely. Talks about them wanting to drag the game till the end and let it hand to Andre Russell as he always bowls very well in the death overs. On Klaasen, he calls him the number 1 T20 batter and that no one can take him for granted when he is around. Adds that the last couple of days were tough, as that defeat against MI was a tough one to swallow. Says they wanted to back their batters and didn't want to put the blame on individuals. On personal reflection, he says he just practices daily. Says even when you bowl a good spell, you have to start the next game from scratch. Concludes it that you need to hit the gym, go to the nets, and bowl more volumes every day to stay in the element.

Sunrisers Hyderabad just couldn't get going in this chase, and as they say, T20 matches are won and lost in the Powerplay. The spells from Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana killed off the game for them. No batters could make any sort of impact, and they need to revisit their plans a bit. Only Kamindu Mendis and Heinrich Klaasen tried their best, but the pressure was too much for them as they fell short by a big margin of 80 runs.

Earlier in the game, Kolkata Knight Riders recovered well after a shaky start to post a strong total. Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi steadied the innings, with the latter crafting a well-made half-century. The real momentum shift, however, came when Venkatesh Iyer exploded with a blistering 60 off just 29 balls, while Rinku Singh provided the finishing touch with a quick-fire cameo, propelling KKR close to the 200-run mark. For SRH, Mohammad Shami, Zeeshan Ansari, and Kamindu Mendis were the standout bowlers, but the rest struggled, especially in the death overs, conceding plenty of runs.

KKR got off to a flying start in the Powerplay, with Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana striking early to claim three quick wickets. Andre Russell also chipped in with a crucial breakthrough, though he proved a bit expensive. The spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy kept the pressure on in the middle overs, making life difficult for the SRH batters. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane’s tactical moves were spot on, particularly his decision to bring Arora back for an over in the middle phase - a masterstroke that led to the massive wicket of Heinrich Klaasen, all but sealing the victory for the hosts.

Kolkata Knight Riders are back to winning ways! The defending champions once again got the better of Sunrisers Hyderabad, just like they did in last year’s final. This victory not only extends their dominance over Hyderabad but also hands their opponents a third consecutive defeat. A crucial win for the hosts, and the big margin will give their NRR a significant boost - something that could prove vital as the league progresses.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Third consecutive defeat for SRH! A complete performance by Kolkata Knight Riders as they defended their fortress of Eden Gardens! Dre Russ bashes on that in-between length by taking the pace off, just around off. Harshal Patel swings months early to pull it into the stands over the leg side but mistimes it badly, over the bowler. Andre Russell calls for his catch, moves slightly to his left and settles under it. Takes a safe catch. KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS WIN BY A HUGE MARGIN OF 80 RUNS!

An attempted yorker, on the stumps, stabbed out by Harshal back to the bowler. Andre Russell stretches his right hand out and half stops the ball.

Length ball, on middle and leg, tucked away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Pace on, full, on off, Harshal Patel swings for the hills but slices it over backward point. Two fielders converge, one from the inner ring and the other from deep cover, running forward to his left. The ball lands between them. A single taken.

WIDE! Pace off, full, but down leg. Harshal Patel misses to flick and Wide called.

Slower through the air, a yard behind fuller length, and outside off, spinning in. Harshal Patel prods forward and eases into the off side, in front of covers for a single. Varun Chakaravarthy finishes his spell with impressive figures of 4-0-22-3.

Good length, spinning on the pads, Shami nudges it away to deep square leg for a single.

WIDE! Turns way down leg on a length. Shami leaves. Wide called.

Length ball, around off, punched to point.

Another googly, on fuller length, turning to middle. Mohammad Shami is flummoxed by the turn and just about manages to get an inside edge onto the front pad.

Mohammad Shami is the last man in.

OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! VARUN CHAKARAVARTHY IS ON A HAT TRICK! A googly from Varun now, pitching outside off on a fractional fuller length. It lands and bites off the deck, spins miles into the right-hander. Simarjeet Singh lunges out to block it forward but plays all over the wrong line, and the ball sneaks through the bat and pad gap to crash into the wickets.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT! Every time the ball has gone uppish, it has found the hands in the field! Varun dishes out a full-length delivery around the off pole. It lands and bounces a bit off the deck. Pat Cummins clears his front leg and tries to take on the long on fielder. Lofts it up in the air but mistimes it off the inner half of the bat and offers a straightforward catch to Harshit Rana at long on. Skipper Cummins too departs now, and SRH are 114/8, and Simarjeet Singh comes out to bat now.

On a good length, around off, Pat Cummins guides it towards backward point and sets off for a quick single. Harshal Patel also responds, but the fielder there is quick to collect the ball and makes a direct hit at the batter's end. The umpire calls it a not out as Harshal Patel has dragged his bat in time to the crease and has made it.

Full and on the pads, Patel flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single to get off the mark.

Harshal Patel is in at number 9.

OUT! CAUGHT! This should be the game for Kolkata Knight Riders as the last hope of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Heinrich Klaasen, is gone for 33 (21) and they still need 89 runs off the last 32 balls! Arora picks up his third wicket of the night as he bowls it on a short of a length, angling into the body of the batter. He takes the pace off, and Heinrich Klaasen goes on the back foot to pull it. He mistimes it as the ball comes later on than he expected and goes off the top edge. The ball lobs up towards short fine leg, where Moeen Ali takes a few steps to his left and takes a simple catch.

Back of a length, around middle, with pace taken off, Pat Cummins gets deceived by the lack of the pace but manages to keep it down to long on for a single.

Goes fuller now and well outside off, Klaasen slices it to deep cover for a single off the outer half of the bat.

FOUR! STREAKY! Arora bowls a yorker, around off, Heinrich Klaasen leans on and looks to fetch it out to the leg side with a sweep shot. The ball takes the inside edge and goes to the left of the keeper for a boundary.