Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) take on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 45 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, May 3.
The Sunrisers are coming into this game on the back of five wins on the trot. In their most recent clash, they chased down a 244-run target against the Mumbai Indians with six wickets and eight balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.
On the other hand, the Knight Riders went six matches without a win to start the season. However, they have registered back-to-back victories, which have given them a sliver of hope as far as their chance of reaching the playoffs goes.
Here are the potential impact players for both teams in Match 45:
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):
Liam Livingstone: Livingstone is likely to remain a backup option for Sunrisers Hyderabad, with Travis Head also returning to form in the last game.
Smaran Ravichandran: A promising batting talent, Smaran enters the IPL on the back of solid performances for the Karnataka cricket team. His T20 strike rate is 162.45, which is quite impressive.
Harshal Patel: The former Purple Cap winner played three matches earlier in the season and failed to pick up a wicket. He has not been able to make it back in the side after youngsters Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain have impressed with their performances.
Aniket Verma: The 24-year-old has scored just 73 runs in seven innings. While his average is 14.60, his strike rate of 158.70 is quite good. Sunrisers would want him to contribute a bit more with the bat.
Shivang Kumar: Shivang Kumar did not play the last match. However, he could make his way back into the side on Sunday. The left-arm wrist spinner has picked up five wickets in seven games in his maiden IPL season.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):
Tejasvi Dahiya: The wicketkeeper-batter impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 113 runs in six matches at an average of 56.50 and a strike rate of 168.65. KKR fans are waiting for him to showcase his skills in the IPL.
Manish Pandey: A seasoned veteran in the IPL, Manish Pandey was padded up to come in as the Impact Player when KKR were in a spot of bother after batting first in their last game against the Lucknow Super Giants. However, his services weren’t needed at the end.
Matheesha Pathirana: The Sri Lankan seamer, after a long wait, is finally expected to make his KKR debut. However, it will be interesting to see how he fares after recovering from injury.
Finn Allen: The explosive opener has played five matches in IPL 2026 but has struggled to find form. However, his aggressive approach makes him a strong Impact Player option, capable of giving his team some flying starts. With Tim Seifert not making the most of his chances, KKR could go back to Allen.
Varun Chakaravarthy: The mystery spinner came in as the Impact Player in the last game. He started the tournament with some dismal performances but has hit his straps of late.
Expert Opinion and Final Prediction
Home Advantage: Sunrisers Hyderabad will benefit from playing at their home ground, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, which typically offers some fantastic batting surfaces.
Recent Form: In their last five meetings, LSG hold a slight edge with three wins, while Kolkata Knight Riders have won two.
Team Balance: KKR have a slight edge over SRH, as the head-to-head score in the last five meetings stands at 3-2 in favour of the three-time champions.
Prediction: Taking all these factors into account, SRH are likely to have an advantage and could extend their winning streak on Sunday.
