The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered their third consecutive win in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) after defeating the high-flying Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by seven wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, May 3.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, SRH put 165 runs on the board from 19 overs before losing all 10 wickets. They had an amazing start to the innings, scoring 71 runs in the powerplay and 107 at the midway point of their innings. KKR spinners, however, put a check on their scoring and took regular wickets to make sure that the final total was not out of their grasp.
In reply, KKR chased down the total with 10 balls to spare, thanks to Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s second-wicket partnership worth 84 runs. They also received an excellent start to the innings through Finn Allen’s 13-ball 29.
Talking Points:
1. Kolkata Knight Riders excel in the field to restrict SRH
KKR were excellent in the field, which helped them bundle SRH out for just 165 from 19 overs. This was after the hosts put 107 on the board after 10 overs. Rovam Powell took a blinder of a catch with one hand to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen cheaply. Captain Ajinkya Rahane also took some excellent grabs to prove the age-old saying of ‘catches win matches’ correct.
2. Build a statue of Sunil Narine outside Eden Gardens!
Once said and done, Sunil Narine would go down as KKR’s greatest ever player in the history of the IPL. The former West Indies spinner took two wickets against SRH to surpass 200 wickets in the tournament. He became the first overseas player to reach this milestone in the IPL and the first bowler to do so representing just one franchise.
3. Sunrisers Hyderabad lose after five consecutive wins
SRH were the form side in the IPL, having won five consecutive games. The hosts, however, suffered their first defeat in six outings at the hands of KKR. Pat Cummins’ side are still in the top four with 12 points from 10 matches. Their next game is also at home, against the Punjab Kings on Wednesday, May 6
Who said what:
Pat Cummins, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain:
“Well, not our best day. We got off to a pretty good start. And then after that, we weren’t at our sharpest. Probably from where we were, we should have found a way to get higher, you know, up around 200 or past 180. But ot to be. (On adjusting to the conditions) I think you just got to adapt. I actually thought, 180 was where it started. I thought the way we chose our match-ups really well. And probably the second half didn’t quite choose the moments, myself included. (On the par score) I think 180, something like that. It did dry up a little bit and slow up. But again, from where we were, I think we should have got 180 plus. (On winning five on the bounce) Much of the same, the margins are quite small here. We still showed a lot of good things. With the bowling unit, we dragged it right to the end. my over costing 27 probably made a difference. So there’s only little moments that can make a big difference.”
Ajinkya Rahane, Kolkata Knight Riders captain:
“Very good game. The way we came back with the ball. Looked like they will get 190-200. It would’ve been challenging to chase. But credit to our bowling unit, especially the spinners. They kept taking wickets. Those small moments are really important, really happy with the win. The bowling unit has been doing really well last 5-6 games. Credit to our bowling coaches – Bravo and Southee. Here and there you will go for runs, but as long as you’re clear in your head, that’s important. That win was important going into the break. Had 2-3 practice sessions. It’s all about being mentally fresh. Support staff has been doing really well. Even though we lost the first 5 matches, atmosphere was really calm. Really happy for him (Varun C). He was always confident. Works really hard, great attitude. He’s been bowling the tough overs.”
Varun Chakravarthy, Player of the Match:
“It’s just the impact pain (talking about his injury). Still not able to put the foot fully down. But in another 3 days, I’ll be fine. He hit it very fast, and I had to stop it. Otherwise it would’ve been a four. I’ve been saying this every year. Initially when IPL starts, the first four matches will be flat wickets. It’s very tough for spinners to come into the game. Happened for every spinner. As the tournament goes on, spinners come into the game. He was extending his hands very well (talking about Head), I didn’t want him to do that. The guys are coming together, the batting group is coming together. We can make a serious dent in the IPL if we keep going.”
