HIGHLIGHTS KKR vs SRH IPL 2025 Match 15 - Result, Scorecard

We are back for the chase! The Kolkata Knight Riders players are in a huddle where Ajinkya Rahane is giving them a last-minute pep talk. Then, they spread out to take their respective field positions. The destructive duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma are the two openers for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Head comes in as the Impact Player, replacing Zeeshan Ansari. Vaibhav Arora is the Impact Player for KKR in place of Angkrish Raghuvanshi. He will also start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

As we head into the chase, KKR holds the momentum after a strong finish and will bank on their quality bowling attack, especially spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, to defend this total. On the other hand, SRH had the game in control but let things slip at the death. Now, their hopes rest on their explosive top order, particularly Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, to provide a flying start in pursuit of this challenging target. Who will take the upper hand? The second inning promises plenty of action, so stay tuned, as the chase is about to begin!

Venkatesh Iyer of KKR is up for a chat now. He begins by mentioning that the ball was holding a bit on the surface and also feels it is not the Eden pitch that he is used to playing at. Adds that it is on the slower side. Feels that they have got a competitive total on the board and believes if they bowl well, they can defend it. Admits that he didn't get good scores in the last few innings and says he wanted to get the feel of the pitch and take some time. Credits to Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ajinkya Rahane for batting the way they did. Tells that the message was clear to take time and once you adapt, go hard at it. Says that the BCCI has made it mandatory to play domestic cricket, which he opines is a great opportunity to test themselves against the new bowlers. Concludes by saying that whenever he gets the opportunity to play domestic cricket, or even at the club level, he is ready to play because he just wants to bat as much as he can.

For Sunrisers Hyderabad, their bowling was disciplined for the first 15 overs, keeping KKR under control and preventing them from running away with the game. Every bowler chipped in with one wicket each, apart from Simarjeet Singh, showcasing a well-rounded effort. However, things fell apart in the last five overs, where they leaked a massive 78 runs, something that could haunt them later. Their fielding also left much to be desired, with some misfields and a crucial dropped catch by Nitish Kumar Reddy adding to their woes.

The turning point came when vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh took charge. Initially, they played sensibly, rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking, but as the inning neared its end, they shifted gears in style. Their partnership of 91 runs in just 41 balls provided KKR with the late boost they needed. Iyer, who had struggled in the first three matches, finally found his rhythm, smashing a fiery fifty off just 25 balls. He unleashed an onslaught in the death overs, sending the ball flying to all parts of the ground and ensuring KKR finished strong.

The inning of Kolkata Knight Riders was pretty interesting, filled with ups and downs, but they managed to put up a solid total of 200/6. The big question now is, will this be enough on what looks like a good batting pitch? The answer will unfold in the second inning. KKR’s openers once again failed to provide a strong start, both departing inside the Powerplay. That left them in early trouble at 16/2, but skipper Ajinkya Rahane and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi stepped up, stitching together a crucial 81-run partnership to rescue the inning. Raghuvanshi looked impressive, bringing up his second IPL fifty, but just when things were looking settled, both he and Rahane fell in quick succession, causing KKR to slip from a promising 97/2 to 106/4.

Harshal Patel to Andre Russell, OUT! RUN OUT! An anti-climactic end to the innings! Harshal Patel bowls a slower bocuner, on off. Andre Russell goes for the pull early and misses. He sets off to steal a bye but is sent back. Heinrich Klaasen, the keeper, collects and puts in an underarm throw to hit the stumps at the batter's end. The replay shows that Dre Russ is short of his crease. Kolkata Knight Riders finishes on exactly 200/5!

Is that a run out? Heinrich Klaasen collects the ball and strikes a direct hit at the striker's end. Andre Russell tries to drag the bat into the popping crease, but the side-on replay shows Dre Russ is just short of his crease when the stumps were hit. OUT!

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, Overpitched and outside off, Rinku Singh drills it away to sweeper covers for just one. 200 UP FOR KKR NOW!

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, WIDE! Harshal Patel bowls a bouncer, on middle and off, Rinku Singh looks to pull it away but misses. It is given a wide on field. However, SRH has taken the review. The replay shows that it is over the head of the batter and the decision stands.

Harshal Patel to Andre Russell, Short of a length and outside off, Andre Russell stabs it towards covers for a single.

Andre Russell walks in to bat at number 7.

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, OUT! TAKEN! Harshal Patel gets a wicket! Venkatesh Iyer walks back after a smashing knock of 60 off just 29 balls, lighting up the Eden Gardens. This is a slower one, full and on middle. Iyer shuffles across in his crease and looks to slog it down the ground. However, he mistimes it a bit as the ball goes miles up in the air. Aniket Verma at long on settles under it and takes a good catch. KKR 197/5 now!

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Harshal Patel loses his grip and bowls a high full toss, outside off. Venkatesh Iyer throws the kitchen sink at it and slices it over short third for a boundary. Venky has taken the review to see if it is above his waist or not. The replay shows that it is not and it is a fair delivery.

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, SIX! Starts the last over with a bang! A slower one, back of a length and on off. Venkatesh Iyer picks up the length early and whacks it over the long on fence for a biggie. This is getting a bit out of hands for SRH now.

Harshal Patel (3-0-30-0) to wrap the first innings with the ball.

Pat Cummins to Venkatesh Iyer, Follows the batter well, full and on leg, Venkatesh Iyer looks to whip it away but misses and gets hit on the pads as the ball rolls away to square leg. A leg bye is taken. 21 runs from Cummins' last over.

Pat Cummins to Venkatesh Iyer, FIFTY FOR VENKY! Back-to back half-centuries against SRH! He scored a fifty in last year's final as well against the same opposition. This is a full toss, on middle, Venkatesh Iyer drills it down the pitch where Cummins gets his left foot on it to parry it towards long on. A single is taken. The fielder throws it at the bowler's end where it hits the stumps and deflects away, allowing a second run.

Pat Cummins to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! This is top batting from Venky! Cummins sees the batter back away and bowls this full, outside off. Venkatesh Iyer still gets his bat on to that and slices it over point for four more runs.

Pat Cummins to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Oh..what a shot! Pat Cummins bowls a good yorker, on leg, angling in. Venkatesh Iyer somehow manages to get his bat on it and jams it away to the deep square leg fence for a boundary.

Pat Cummins to Venkatesh Iyer, SIX! BANG! 10 off the first two balls already! Short of a length again, on middle, slower again. Venkatesh Iyer is already expecting that, stands tall and hammers it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Pat Cummins to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Innovative and effective! Pat Cummins bangs this into the pitch and on off, takes pace off. Venkatesh Iyer moves very early across to get into position and scoops it over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Who bowls the penultimate over? Cummins or Harshal? The skipper, Pat Cummins returns for his final over. He is 3-0-24-1 so far.

Simarjeet Singh to Rinku Singh, SIX! That is outta here! 44 in the last three overs now! Simarjeet Singh serves this right in the slot, on middle. Rinku Singh just clears his from leg away and smokes it way over the long on fence for a biggie.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Hard length and on middle, Venkatesh Iyer swats it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! TWO IN TWO! Simarjeet Singh bangs this into the pitch again, on middle, sits up nicely for the batter. Venkatesh Iyer picks up the length early and heaves it away between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for four more runs.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Powered away! Short of a length and outside off. Venkatesh Iyer uses the width on offer and slaps it wide of extra covers for a boundary.

Simarjeet Singh to Rinku Singh, Back of a length and on middle, slower too, Rinku Singh pulls it to the left of deep mid-wicket for a run.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Full toss, outside off, Venkatesh Iyer slices it on the bounce to deep point for a single. 150 up for KKR now!

Simarjeet Singh (3-0-30-0) returns into the attack.

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, Back of a length and on middle, takes pace off, Venkatesh Iyer pulls it to deep square leg for one more. 15 runs off the over, 27 in the last two!

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, Hard length and on off, Rinku Singh steers it to point for one.

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Make that three in a row! Harshal Patel goes very full and around off. Rinku Singh gets right underneath it and smashes it between mid off and extra covers for another boundary. Rinku is finding momentum now!

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Very sloppy in the field and another boundary! This is a full toss, well outside off. Rinku Singh does well to reach it and slices it towards deep point. Aniket Verma runs to his right and sits on one knee to stop it but only parries it to the fence for four runs.

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Top shot! Sweet sound of the bat! Harshal Patel bangs this into the pitch and on middle. Rinku Singh stands tall, gets on top of the bounce and smacks it away powerfully to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary.

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, A slower one, on a length and on off, Venkatesh Iyer guides it through backward point for a single.

Harshal Patel is back on. He is 2-0-15-0 so far and replaces Simarjeet Singh.

Mohammad Shami to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Easy pickings! A juicy full toss, outside off, Rinku Singh reaches out for it well and scythes it over extra covers for a boundary. 12 runs off the over!

Mohammad Shami to Venkatesh Iyer, Much fuller this time, on middle, angling in, Venkatesh Iyer backs away and drills it to long off for a run.

Mohammad Shami to Venkatesh Iyer, FOUR! Nicely done! Mohammad Shami bangs this one into the pitch and just outside off. Venkatesh Iyer stays back, uses the pace on the ball to ramp it over short third for a boundary.

Mohammad Shami to Venkatesh Iyer, Pitched up and on middle, Venkatesh Iyer flicks it away through mid-wicket for a brace.

Mohammad Shami to Venkatesh Iyer, Swing and a miss! A clever slower bouncer, on middle, Venkatesh Iyer goes through his pull very early and misses.

Mohammad Shami to Rinku Singh, Fuller and on off, Rinku Singh drives it through covers for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! KKR are at a crucial juncture after the first 15 overs as they have 122/4 on the board. Their best batter of today, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, fell just a couple of overs ago after registering his fifty, and they need a strong finish here. This ground is known for a good batting surface, and the defendable score in the first inning is well over 200, which KKR will have in their mind for sure. They have Andre Russell, Moeen Ali and Ramandeep Singh in the dugout, and thus, they will bank on them to get them past the 200 mark. On the other hand, SRH have tilted this game in their favor with two key wickets, and they will want to have a couple more. An interesting passage of play is ahead of us, and with that, Mohammad Shami comes back into the attack.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Overpitched, on off, Venkatesh Iyer carves it out to the left of mid off. Zeeshan Ansari slides to the left and stops the ball.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, SIX! Helped on its way! A bit wayward from Simarjeet as he bangs short, on the leg stump, it climbs around the right shoulder of Venkatesh. He goes back into the crease, waits and pulls it behind deep fine leg for a six.

Simarjeet Singh to Rinku Singh, 18 balls since the last boundary! Short, on middle, pulled to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Simarjeet Singh to Rinku Singh, Another slower one, at 119.2 kph, on a good length, around off, Rinku Singh charges down to flat bat, but mistimes it off the toe-end of the bat on the pitch.

Simarjeet Singh to Rinku Singh, Slower, shorter and on the leg stump. Rinku Singh waits for it and pulls along the ground to the right of deep backward square leg. Harshal Patel slides to his right to stop. A slight fumble from him, but recovers quickly and keeps it to two only.

Simarjeet Singh to Rinku Singh, Right into the blockhole, on the leg stump. Rinku Singh gets slanted and jams it out to the pitch.

Change of ends for Simarjeet Singh. His figures read (2-0-21-0) so far.

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, Short again, angling into the batter, on off, Rinku Singh inside edges as he looks to pull. The ball deflects off his thigh pad to the left of the keeper. Klaasen slides to his left to stop the ball, but it evades him and runs down to deep third. A single taken.

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, Into the surface, short and on the leg stump, Venkatesh Iyer pulls towards deep square leg for a single.

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, At 126.1 kph, fairly outside off, on a good length, Venkatesh Iyer swings to cut it square, but misses to connect.

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, Hard length, on the leg stump line, angling on middle. Rinku Singh prods forward and eases out to the cover region for a single.

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, WIDE! A wayward delivery, down leg, on a length. Rinku Singh lets it be. Wide called.

Harshal Patel to Rinku Singh, Shorter and across middle, Rinku Singh gets on the back foot, and taps it out to the point region.

Harshal Patel to Venkatesh Iyer, Around the stumps, on a good length, on off, Venkatesh Iyer taps it across to the vacant mid on region for a single.

Harshal Patel (1-0-10-0) is back into the attack.

Kamindu Mendis to Venkatesh Iyer, Too full, around off, Venkatesh Iyer gets forward and drives wide of long off for a single to end the over.

Kamindu Mendis to Rinku Singh, Bowls right arm, from around the wicket now. Short and outside the off stump. This is punched off the back foot for a single at deep cover.

Rinku Singh walks out to bat now.

Kamindu Mendis to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! A sensational catch by Harshal Patel. Another important wicket for SRH. Kamindu gives the ball some air, and lands on a fuller length, just outside off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi comes charging down the track and tries to loft it inside out over cover. But doesn't quite get his bat properly under the ball and ends up slicing it over backward point. Harshal Patel comes running forward as the ball dips ahead of him. He dives forward and scoops it before the grass, with his fingers underneath the ball. After several checks, the third umpire also deems that it is a fair catch. KKR have slipped from 97/2 to 106/4 as Raghuvanshi departs for 50 (32).

Is that a clean catch? On first glance, it looks like Harshal Patel has taken the catch cleanly, but the umpires wants to make sure. The replays shows that the fingers are underneath the ball and it is another wicket for SRH.

Kamindu Mendis to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sliding on the leg stump, full in length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi stabs it beside the turf.

Kamindu Mendis to Venkatesh Iyer, Dropped short at 91.6 kph, on the stumps, Iyer hangs back and pulls along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Kamindu Mendis to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FIFTY FOR ANGKRISH RAGHUVANSHI! A gritty knock from him! Kamindu Mendis comes into the attack and floats it up, full and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi drives inside out to widish long off for a single. Second IPL fifty for the young right hander.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, On a hard length, over the top of the stumps. Venkatesh Iyer charges down the track and stays leg side. Punches it, but straight to the cover fielder.

Simarjeet Singh to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Short at 121.5 kph, on the body, Angkrish Raghuvanshi jabs it to the backward square leg region for a single.

Simarjeet Singh to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! The 100 is up for Kolkata Knight Riders with this graceful stroke from Raghuvanshi! Fuller and just around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi drives it a bit uppishly, but into the cover gap for a boundary.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Pace on, over the top of middle, Venkatesh Iyer hangs back and punches through cover for a single.

Simarjeet Singh to Venkatesh Iyer, Play and a miss! Around off, full in length, Iyer tries to push to the off side, but misses.

Simarjeet Singh to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, DROPPED! Nitish Kumar Reddy is the culprit! Wasn't the most difficult of chances there, and he is fuming with himself! Back of a length, on middle, Raghuvanshi pulls over mid-wicket. Nitish Kumar Reddy, from the deep, runs and dives forward to catch, but the ball goes in and out of his palms and rolls beside him. A single taken.

Venkatesh Iyer is the next man in.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! A big wicket in the context of this game! Zeeshan breaks this established partnership and KKR lose their third wicket on 97. Zeeshan slows it up, and lands fuller, just outside off. It pitches and spins off the deck. Ajinkya Rahane is a tad bit early to play the reverse sweep. The ball grazes Ajinkya's gloves and lobs to the right of the keeper. Heinrich Klaasen reacts quickly and moves to the direction of the ball. Takes a fine catch.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Nice and full, around off, a googly, driven through cover for a single.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! Innovative, and mighty effective! Zeeshan goes a bit short, around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi switches his stance quickly and reverses it over backward point for a one-bounce boundary.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, SIX! Well played! A leggie, full and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi takes his front foot out of the way and lofts it straight over the bowler's head for a cracking six.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Too full, on the leg stump, Angkrish Raghuvanshi reverse sweeps it along the ground, to deep backward point. Nitish Kumar Reddy runs and slides to his left to intercept the ball. Two taken.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Slides on middle, full in length, Ajinkya leans ahead and drives it out to the off side.

Pat Cummins to Ajinkya Rahane, SIX! AN AUTHORITATIVE SHOT! Pat hits the deck hard and bowls it on a hard length, angling into the batter. Ajinkya Rahane transfers his weight to the back foot and butchers it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. KKR are 84/2 at the halfway point of the inning.

Pat Cummins to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Good fielding! Full and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi drives it towards mid off. The fielder does well there to make a dive to his left and stops the ball. Just a single for the batter.

Pat Cummins to Ajinkya Rahane, An off-cutter and on a good length, wide outside off, Ajinkya Rahane cuts it to deep cover for a single.

Pat Cummins to Ajinkya Rahane, Touch full and outside off, Ajinkya Rahane swings hard and looks to loft it down the ground. He misses out and looks in frustration.

Pat Cummins to Ajinkya Rahane, Hard length and wide outside off, keeps it away from the batter as he sees Rahene shuffling in the crease. Ajinkya looks to ramp it over short fine leg but the ball comes later and gets his underedge and goes to the keeper, Heinrich Klaasen, on the bounce.

Pat Cummins to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Back of a length, on top of off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits for it and runs it down to deep third for a single.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, A leg break but short and outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi cuts it to deep cover for a single.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, Floated it up, around off, Rahane flicks it to long on for a single.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Keeps it shorter and outside off, Angkrish cuts it to deep cover and runs off the first one very quickly. He wants a second one but is sent back by his skipper.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Dragged length and touch outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi cuts it off the back foot but straight to backward point.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, A leg break, full and around off, Ajinkya Rahane slices it to deep cover for a single.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, On a nagging length, around leg, Rahane looks to flick it but gets a leading edge towards extra cover.

Harshal Patel to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! GLORIOUS! Patel serves it much full and around off, right in the slot, Angkrish Raghuvanshi lunges and creams his drive in the gap towards extra cover. Zeeshan Ansari tries to intercept it at cover but gets his fingertips on it only as the ball goes to the boundary.

Harshal Patel to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, BEATEN! Patel hits the deck hard, on a back of a length but with pace taken off completely. Angkrish Raghuvanshi looks to cut it off the back foot but gets deceived by the lack of the pace on the ball.

Harshal Patel to Ajinkya Rahane, Full again but with pace off, around off, Rahane comes forward and drives it to the right of the bowler for a single.

Harshal Patel to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Touch fuller and into the pads, Angkrish flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Harshal Patel to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Full and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi leans on and drives it back to the bowler, who stops it on his follow-through.

Harshal Patel to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! Angkrish Raghuvanshi greets Harshal Patel with a boundary! Patel bowls it much fuller and wide outside off, Angkrish crouches and extends his arms to reach out. He slices it towards deep backward point. Ishan Kishan runs in to his left and puts in a dive but fails to stop the ball from going to the boundary.

Strategic Break! Despite losing a couple of wickets early on, Kolkata Knight Riders have recovered well. However, they know that these two at the crease need to extend this partnership further to set up a solid base for their power hitters to go big at the death. Sunrisers Hyderabad have done well so far, but they will want to pick up a couple of more wickets to put pressure on the middle order, which is yet to fire for the home side. An exciting phase of cricket awaits us. Also, Harshal Patel comes into the attack now.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, Nearly a chopped on! Too short from Zeeshan and well outside off, Ajinkya Rahane throws his hands at it and looks to cut it. Gets an underedge as the ball goes past the off stump and hits the keeper's pads.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, On a nagging length, around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi goes back and pushes it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Zeeshan Ansari to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Tossed it up, around middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi comes forward and defends it right under his eyes.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, Short and around leg, Rahane turns it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, FOUR! A MISFIELD AND A BOUNDARY! Zeeshan keeps it short again a leg break and outside off. Ajinkya Rahane stays on the back foot and cuts it towards deep backward point. Nitish Kumar Reddy runs in to his left and slides to stop the ball but makes a mess of it. The ball goes over the ropes.

Zeeshan Ansari to Ajinkya Rahane, Drops it short and around middle, Ajinkya Rahane goes back and pulls it towards deep mid-wicket. Kamindu Mendis does wel to run in to his right and saves two runs for his side.

Time for some spin now as Zeeshan Ansari comes into the attack.

Simarjeet Singh to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, SIX! CLOBBERED! Short of a length, around middle and leg, not a good line to any batter. Angkrish Raghuvanshi swivels on his toes and pulls it over the deep fine leg fence for a biggie to end the over. KKR are 53/2 after the Powerplay.

Simarjeet Singh to Ajinkya Rahane, Leg bye! Singh hits the deck hard, and into the body, with pace taken off. Ajinkya Rahane is a tad early into his shot as he swivels to pull it, but the ball comes later than he expected. He wears it on the right bicep and takes a leg bye as the ball rolls away towards cover-point.

Simarjeet Singh to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, On a good length, on top of off, coming in with the angle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits for it and opens bat face to pat it down towards extra cover for a quick single.

Simarjeet Singh to Ajinkya Rahane, A quick single! Back of a length and around off, Rahane taps it in front of cover and gets to the other end quickly.

Simarjeet Singh to Ajinkya Rahane, SIX! CRACKING SHOT! Singh bowls it on a hard length and angling into the body of the batter, tries to not give any room. Ajinkya Rahane swivels on his toes and swings it. The ball sails over the deep backward square leg fence for a biggie.

Simarjeet Singh to Ajinkya Rahane, Begins with a good-length ball, touch outside off, Ajinkya Rahane crouches and flat-bats at it to cover. He wants to have a single but is sent back by his partner.

Mohammad Shami to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, FOUR! KKR gradually finding their rhythm! An expensive over from Shami! On a good length, around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi comes down the track, and lofts it over backward point. The ball keeps dribbling towards the fence as the deep backward point fielder runs across to his left to stop the ball. Stretches his hands over his shoulders, but the ball bounces on one of the practice pitches and nips away and bounces high enough above the chasing fielder to go into the fence. 12 runs from this over, 21 from the last two.

Mohammad Shami to Ajinkya Rahane, Back of a length, on top of off, Ajinkya Rahane gets on the back foot and tucks it between mid on and mid-wicket for a single.

Mohammad Shami to Ajinkya Rahane, SIX! Into the orbit! The KKR skipper is up and running with a couple of biggies already! Delivered right into the slot from Shami, on off, full, Ajinkya Rahane bends his back knee and picks it up nicely. Whips it aerially behind deep backward square leg for a cracking six.

Mohammad Shami to Ajinkya Rahane, Pitched on a good length, outside off, at 141.1 kph, Ajinkya Rahane weighs on the back foot and punches hard, but to the cover region where the fielder makes a diving stop to his right.

Mohammad Shami to Ajinkya Rahane, Hard length, on off, Ajinkya Rahane hangs back and works it straight to the point fielder.

Mohammad Shami to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Good length, around off, at 137.4 kph, Angkrish leans back and punches through cover-point for a single.

Pat Cummins to Ajinkya Rahane, A good response from Cummins! Bashes the hard length, nipping back in from off, Ajinkya Rahane is cramped up for room as he tries to work the ball to the off side. Misses to connect and the ball deflects off the back thigh pad and carries to Klaasen behind the wickets.

Pat Cummins to Ajinkya Rahane, SIX! BOOM! A yard behind fuller length, around off, nipping a shy bit in, Ajinkya Rahane picks it well and deposits it behind deep mid-wicket for a cracking six.

Pat Cummins to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, On the back of a length, coming a bit quicker off the deck on the body. Angkrish Raghuvanshi miscues the pull shot, clears square leg and lands on the bounce towards deep square leg. Just a single.

Pat Cummins to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Fuller again, just outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi tries to cut it away, but inside edges onto the thigh pad. The ball rolls near the stumps, and he sniffs a single but is sent back by Rahane on a sharp call. Raghuvanshi retreats back to get home as Cummins charges towards the ball. But the batter gets home safely in the end.

Pat Cummins to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Oopsie! A schoolboy error in the field there! Full and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi gets on the front foot and drives to the cover fielder, who lets the ball through to the deep, allowing a couple of runs.

Pat Cummins to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Bangs it hard on the surface, around off, skids and bounces more off the deck. Angkrish Raghuvanshi premeditates and charges down to cut it square but misses as the ball passes over his angled bat.

Mohammad Shami to Ajinkya Rahane, Back of a length, on off, Rahane climbs on the ball and punches it to the point fielder.

Mohammad Shami to Ajinkya Rahane, Touch fuller and around off, Rahane leans forward and works it to the off side.

Mohammad Shami to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Nagging length, around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi opens the bat face and guides through point for a single to get off the mark.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi walks in to bat at number four.

Mohammad Shami to Sunil Narine, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Sunil Narine is in total surprise with the umpire's finger being raised up on the appeal from Shami. Looks at Rahane in hope, and then decides not to take the referral. Again, KKR lose both their openers very cheaply! Shami spears it across off, on a very fuller length, Sunil Narine bends low to carve it out to the off side, but gets a thick outside edge. The ball carries back to Heinrich Klaasen who takes a sharp catch, diving low to his left. Sunil Narine departs and KKR are 16/2 now.

Mohammad Shami to Ajinkya Rahane, A good shot and an equally good fielding from Cummins! Full and on the stumps, flicked by Ajinkya to the right of mid on where Pat Cummins slides to the ball and stops it. Just a single.

Mohammad Shami to Sunil Narine, Fuller and on middle, Sunil Narine lofts it over mid on for a single.

Pat Cummins to Ajinkya Rahane, A successful over for the SRH skipper! Back of a length, on off, Ajinkya Rahane hops on the back foot and pats it to the bowler.

The skipper of KKR, Ajinkya Rahane, will bat at number three.

Pat Cummins to Quinton de Kock, OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! Skipper Pat Cummins bowls according to his field and gets the breakthrough in his first over! He bangs it into the surface, on the middle stump line. Quinton de Kock stays on the back foot and attempts to pull it behind square leg, but gets the timing incorrect. Does go through the shot aerially, off the higher part of the bat. The ball sails only as far as Zeeshan Ansari stationed at deep square leg. He runs in a few steps forward and takes a simple catch on his haunches. Quinton de Kock departs on 1 (6). KKR are 14/1.

Pat Cummins to Sunil Narine, At 143.6 kph, at the stumps, on a length, Sunil Narine misses to connect and the ball deflects off the thigh pad to the off side. They cross for a leg bye as the ball rolls in front of cover-point.

Pat Cummins to Sunil Narine, A full toss and on off, Sunil Narine carves it out to covers, but Aniket Verma does well to intercept the ball.

Pat Cummins to Sunil Narine, A good comeback delivery from Pat Cummins! Nails the yorker at the legs, Sunil Narine tries to whip to the leg side, but the ball goes between his legs to the keeper.

Pat Cummins to Sunil Narine, SIX! Cummins is greeted with a lusty blow! The first six of the evening! Pat hurls on a good length, keeping it around off, Sunil Narine gets a good bounce to work with and stays on the back foot. Pulls it over deep mid-wicket for a cracking six.

The skipper of SRH, Pat Cummins, brings himself as he will bowl from the other end.

Mohammad Shami to Quinton de Kock, BEATEN! At 144.4 kph, on a good length, just outside off, nibbling away. Quinton de Kock tries to slash through the point region but misses as the ball nips away and beats the outside edge. 7 runs from the opening over then.

Mohammad Shami to Quinton de Kock, Back of a length around off, Quinton de Kock hops on the back foot and keeps it out to the point region.

Mohammad Shami to Quinton de Kock, On a good length, across off, Quinton de Kock taps it off the back foot to backward point.

Mohammad Shami to Sunil Narine, At 140.4 kph, length, angling at the pads, Sunil Narine lifts his front leg to nudge it into the leg side, but misses. The ball deflects off his pads into the leg side. They cross for a leg bye.

Mohammad Shami to Quinton de Kock, On the back of a length, on the stumps, Quinton de Kock tucks it across between mid-wicket and square leg for a single. QDK is off the mark, and first runs off the bat.

Mohammad Shami to Quinton de Kock, FOUR LEG BYES! Swinging into the pads, on a fullish length, Quinton de Kock misses to tickle it away and the ball deflects off the front pad and runs away to the deep fine leg fence.

Mohammad Shami to Quinton de Kock, WIDE! Shami starts off with a loosener. Around the stumps, angling way down the leg side, on a length. QDK leaves. Wide called.

All in readiness for this contest to get underway in the City of Joy. As per the traditions, the bell has been rung by the great Sri Lankan, Muttiah Muralitharan, who is accompanied by Rinku Singh of KKR. A buzzing Eden Gardens with a sea of purple and an odd sprinkling of orange here and there welcomes the two umpires who walk out to the middle. The two openers for KKR, Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine, arrive at the crease. The new ball has been handed over to Mohammad Shami, who will open the attack for SRH. The clock ticks off, and here we go...

The captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane says that the pitch looks good but they were going to bowl first as well. Adds that he hopes the wicket helps their spinners. Mentions that they have had a chat about how to improve things, but this format is all about playing with freedom. Informs that Moeen Ali comes in for Spencer Johnson.

The skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pat Cummins, says that they are going to bowl first. Adds that it looks like a good wicket and says that he is not good with reading the wickets that much. Mentions that he played against KKR last year in the final, and there have been a couple of changes in both sides from that match, so the contest will be pretty good between them. States that they bring out their best with this aggressive approach, and a lot of wickets didn’t actually fall through reckless batting, and it is more about scoring runs. Emphasizes that the boys in the group are pretty positive and it is a long tournament, so they are looking at that point of view. Tells that Aniket has been amazing as he doesn’t care about who is bowling at the other end and just plays his game, and that’s what they have told him. Further adds that there has been a lot of information about this ground in their preparation for today's game, with how the pitch is playing and how the conditions will play here.

Impact players nominated by Sunrisers Hyderabad - Abhinav Manohar, Jaydev Unadkat, Travis Head, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan Mulder.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Aniket Verma, Kamindu Mendis (On IPL debut), Pat Cummins (C), Simarjeet Singh (In for Abhinav Manohar), Harshal Patel, Mohammad Shami, Zeeshan Ansari.

Impact players nominated by Kolkata Knight Riders - Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell and Luvnith Sisodia.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Quinton de Kock (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Moeen Ali (In for Spencer Johnson), Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.

TOSS UPDATE - The flip of the coin lands in favor of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Pat Cummins elects to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa and Eoin Morgan are inspecting the deck at the Eden Gardens. Pommie starts by mentioning about the dimensions and says it is 75 meters straight, while the squares are 62 meters and 64 meters respectively. Highlights that if there is enough pace on the pitch, the batters can try and ramp behind, where it measures 57 meters and 56 meters. Eoin Morgan joins him and briefs about the playing area. He observes it's really firm and well put together with a good covering of grass. Gets closer to the area near the crease and says it's an interesting area as it is pretty dry. Points that as a batter, if you lunge forward, you have to be very careful, because as a bowler, if they pitch ahead, they will get that turn. But also deems apart from that, it is a batter's paradise. Mbangwa stresses scoring more than 200 if you bat first. Also highlights that the lowest total defended here is 176. Morgan then concludes that dew might arrive, and hence, the ball will skid through as well.

This clash presents a fascinating battle of redemption arcs. While both teams' big names have stumbled, their youngsters have stepped up and injected fresh energy. KKR will draw confidence from last season's 3-0 dominance over SRH, including the final, but their shock home and away defeats to RCB and MI, respectively, have exposed some vulnerabilities in key facets. Can Sunrisers Hyderabad exploit this opening to conquer Eden Gardens, or will Kolkata Knight Riders' wounded champions respond? Stay tuned for the toss and teams coming up shortly.

Meanwhile, SRH's explosive batting template has shown cracks after their blazing start. Travis Head continues his onslaughts, but Abhishek Sharma's sudden slump has disrupted their batting dominance. The middle-order instability has exposed their over-reliance on the openers, though rookie Aniket Verma's fearless strokeplay offers hope. More alarmingly, their star-studded bowling attack has bled runs in the first six overs, and they’ve been among the worst in containing runs during the Powerplay, which is a worrying trend they'll need to reverse quickly.

KKR's campaign has gotten off to a shaky start, with their vaunted batting lineup failing to fire. The openers, Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine, have struggled to provide strong starts, while the middle-order trio of Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, and Venkatesh Iyer, usually so destructive, have been uncharacteristically quiet. Amid these struggles, young Angkrish Raghuvanshi has emerged as a rare bright spot with his composed strokeplay. Their bowling hasn't fared much better, with only Varun Chakaravarthy posing consistent threats. The absence of an unfit Anrich Nortje has further depleted their attack, leaving the defending champions looking uncharacteristically vulnerable as they look to find their mojo.

The defending champions KKR are coming off a demoralizing defeat to Mumbai Indians, while SRH's campaign has nosedived dramatically since their record-breaking 286-run opener, suffering back-to-back losses. With identical stuttering starts to their seasons, tonight's clash presents a crucial opportunity for either side to kickstart their redemption arc.

Hello, everyone! Looking for your midweek dopamine fix? Your prescription is ready! Match 15 of IPL 2025 brings last season's finalists back face-to-face as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders host Sunrisers Hyderabad in the electrifying City of Joy! Eden Gardens becomes the theater as the purple army stands ready on home turf while the Orange Army arrives hungry for redemption.

... MATCH DAY ...

The drama of the Indian Premier League intensifies as it progresses in its second week, and the stage is set for a blockbuster repeat of last year’s final! The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad will roar to life as Sunrisers Hyderabad, hungry for redemption, take on the reigning champions, Kolkata Knight Riders. With pride, momentum, and early tournament bragging rights on the line, this clash promises fireworks. Both teams arrive wounded into this clash. KKR's batting was exposed by MI, which pegged them straight down to the bottom of the table, whereas SRH's plundering batting dominance was dashed and dismantled first by LSG, in their backyard, and then by the Delhi Capitals, in an away game. For KKR, their middle order has become their biggest wrinkle to iron out. The usually reliable Rinku Singh and powerhouse Andre Russell have misfired when needed most, forcing their solid top order to carry water for the entire team. As the old saying goes, ’you're only as good as your weakest link’, and right now, KKR's middle is dragging them down like an anchor. While clouds loom over their middle order, sunshine breaks through at the top - the dynamic duo of Quinton de Kock and skipper Ajinkya Rahane have been run machines, with young Angkrish Raghuvanshi adding fresh energy with his impressive batting stints. KKR's bowling has been equally inconsistent, with none of their bowlers breaking into the top 10 wicket-takers. Their collapse to 116 against MI and inability to stem the flow of runs in pressure situations highlight areas needing urgent attention. That said, early setbacks often serve as wake-up calls, and history shows this is a team that peaks when it matters. These early stumbles may well be the foundation for a stronger comeback as the tournament progresses. On similar lines, the Sunrisers Hyderabad are too, stacked in the bottom half of the table with a couple of stinging defeats so far. After announcing their arrival with a thunderous 286-run spectacle, Sunrisers Hyderabad's explosive batting unit has surprisingly lost its fizz. The team that made 250-plus totals look routine has seen its run production dip alarmingly in recent outings. While Travis Head remains the consistent run-machine, others have faltered - Abhishek Sharma's performances have been inconsistent, and Ishan Kishan's blazing century now seems a distant memory. However, amidst these struggles, a new star is emerging. The young Aniket Verma has electrified the middle order with his explosive cameos, including a dazzling 74 off just 41 against Delhi Capitals. While on the bowling front, the pace department including skipper Pat Cummins and Mohammad Shami as the spearheads, has somewhat looked a bit brittle. Hence, both sides have some things to be improved on similar lines as they head into this clash. Be it at the Eden Gardens or in Hyderabad, the Kolkata Knight Riders have edged out SRH in four out of their recent five clashes, including that finale win in 2024. Can SRH turn the tables, or will KKR prove their dominance once again? Buckle up for Match 15 as this is IPL at its electrifying best!