HIGHLIGHTS Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2026 Match 45 - Result, Scorecard

We are back with the chase. An interesting call from Pat Cummins as he has decided to open the bowling with Abhishek Sharma. Finn Allen walks in as an impact substitute and has walked out to open with Ajinkya Rahane for KKR. Rahane will take strike. Let's go...

... The Run Chase ...

A fighting chance for the bowlers - While 166 is not a daunting target in modern-day T20s, the grip and turn extracted by the KKR spinners suggest SRH are not out of this hunt just yet. To defend this, the home side must strike early and keep things airtight during the Powerplay. The second innings will likely hinge on whether Shivang Kumar can replicate the KKR spinners' success and if Harshal’s clever variations can deceive the batters on this slowing surface. Another dilemma for SRH skipper Pat Cummins would be who to bring in as his impact player. If things had gone differently, maybe he would have gone straightaway for Sakib Hussain, but the deck was offering something to the spinner, which might force Pat Cummins to think about bringing in Harsh Dubey as well. It’s a modest chase, but on this deck, KKR will have to work for every run.

A quick word - Rovman Powell presents the Orange Cap to Abhishek Sharma before a chat with the broadcasters. Rovman reflects on KKR's clinical bowling performance, noting that the primary strategy was to pressure SRH’s dangerous top order. Rovman. Powell credits the team's success to their spin duo, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, and says that he is really satisfied after seeing Varun back among the wickets after a commendable effort. On his catch, Powell explains the tactical positioning required in the field, where he stays closer to the action to prevent easy doubles while remaining alert enough to snag sharp chances. Rovman also praises Ajinkya Rahane's contributions, saying that the team’s philosophy is that the fielding unit must actively hunt for wickets to support the bowlers. Powell concludes by saying that the target is below par on a good batting surface, though he cautions that scoring may become slightly more challenging as the ball loses its shine.

KKR spinners turn the tide - It was a tale of two halves for the KKR bowling unit. They were initially shell-shocked by the SRH openers, but the composure shown by the slow bowlers brought them roaring back into the contest. Varun Chakaravarthy was the standout performer with 3 crucial wickets, while Narine’s 2 wickets ensured the pressure never eased. Collectively, the spinners bowled nine overs, yielding 75 runs but snaring 6 vital wickets, effectively breaking the back of the SRH batting line-up and handing KKR the upper hand. Sunil Narine also became the first overseas player to take 200 scalps in the history of IPL.

The Head-start and the spin-choke - Travis Head was once again the protagonist for SRH, bludgeoning a rapid half-century and powering his side to a blistering 71 runs in the Powerplay. However, the narrative shifted dramatically the moment Ajinkya Rahane introduced Varun as he triggered the collapse by stifling the scoring, and Sunil Narine soon joined the party to tighten the screws. The spin-choke was so effective that SRH crumbled from a comfortable 117/2 to being bundled out for a mere 165, losing their way against the turning ball.

SRH stumble after an explosive start - The Sunrisers Hyderabad will walk back to the dugout with heavy hearts, knowing they’ve left plenty of runs on the table after being bowled out for 165 in 19 overs. After winning the toss and electing to bat on what appeared to be a genuinely batting-friendly deck, the home side looked set for a massive total. The top three continued their fine form, providing a platform that screamed 200 plus, but a sudden middle-order collapse saw the momentum evaporate. From a commanding position, the innings derailed completely, leaving them with a total that feels subpar given the conditions.

Vaibhav Arora is substituted by Finn Allen

Kartik Tyagi to Harshal Patel, OUT! CAUGHT! That's that for the SRH innings. A job well done by KKR to bowl the home side out for 165. Tyagi rolls his fingers over the ball and bangs it in short, over off. Patel tries to take it on with the pull but fails to get on top of the bounce. It is skewed off a top edge to short fine leg, where Vaibhav Arora moves to his left and completes the catch.

Kartik Tyagi to Eshan Malinga, Hurls it on a nagging length, on middle. Malinga covers the line and pushes it in front of mid off before hurrying to the other end.

Kartik Tyagi to Eshan Malinga, Full and angling across. Eshan Malinga stays rooted to the crease and prods at the ball tentatively. Gets beaten all ends up on the outside edge.

Kartik Tyagi to Harshal Patel, Honing in on top of off at 143.1 kph, Harshal stands tall and plays it on the up to deep cover for a single.

Kartik Tyagi to Harshal Patel, Fuller and in the channel, Patel throws his hands at the ball but is beaten for pace.

Kartik Tyagi to Harshal Patel, FOUR! Gets it away! Tyagi takes pace off and digs it in short, outside off. Harshal reaches out and flashes at it. Gets it off the toe end and it goes right through the gap between short third and backward point for a boundary.

Kartik Tyagi to replace Anukul Roy.

Vaibhav Arora to Eshan Malinga, Off-cutter, bowled into the surface. It goes across the left-hander and Eshan makes the leave.

Vaibhav Arora to Harshal Patel, Arora goes searching for the yorker and gets a bit of tail back into the right-hander. It comes out as a low full toss and Patel pushes it to long off for one.

Vaibhav Arora to Eshan Malinga, Dipping low full toss, outside off. Malinga hits it down to long on for a single.

Vaibhav Arora to Eshan Malinga, Wide! Down leg, full in length, Malinga misses out on the tickle.

Vaibhav Arora to Eshan Malinga, Very full, across off. Eshan drops his bat down but is late in doing so.

Vaibhav Arora to Eshan Malinga, Beaten! Pushed across the left-hander, on a good length. Malinga looks to punch it away but the ball leaves him with the angle.

Eshan Malinga is the last batter out in the middle for SRH.

Vaibhav Arora to Shivang Kumar, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Another one bites the dust. Short and wide down the leg side, Shivang Kumar has a swipe at it but misses as the keeper gathers the ball behind the stumps. Angkrish Raghuvanshi goes up in an appeal, as does the bowler. Anukul Roy at cover also has heard something and he comes charging in. Ajinkya Rahane checks with the bowler and the keeper before taking the review in the nick of time. The UltraEdge comes up with a spike when the ball is next to the glove. The on-field decision is overturned.

Skipper Pat is gone, and Harshal Patel replaces him in the middle.

Anukul Roy to Pat Cummins, OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Anukul Roy strikes now. Very full, wide on off. Cummins reaches out to force it away on the off side. The bat turns in his hands and he miscues it down the strip. Roy gets low with his hands out in front to take the catch in front of his left boot. No real excitement from Roy while claiming the catch, but he looks confident. The third umpire is summoned for a check and the replays confirm that Anukul had gotten his fingers under the ball to take the catch.

Is that a fair catch? Anukul Roy looks really confident about grabbing this cleanly. The umpires have sent this upstairs for an official check. Replay shows that the fingers of Anukul Roy are underneath the ball. OUT flashes on the big screen.

Anukul Roy to Pat Cummins, Spears in a full ball, on middle. Pat digs it out back to the bowler.

Anukul Roy to Pat Cummins, SIX! Long enough! A half-tracker by Roy, wide on off. Cummins reaches out and flat bats it down the ground. Rinku Singh at long on was in business for a moment but eventually watched it sail over his head.

Anukul Roy to Shivang Kumar, Drops it short, on off, Kumar punches it away to deep cover and crosses over. The 150 is up for SRH.

Anukul Roy to Pat Cummins, Darted in at the hips, Cummins shovels it to deep fine leg for a run.

Anukul Roy to Pat Cummins, Short and on off, that is punched off the back foot but straight to the cover fielder.

Shivang Kumar walks out to bat. With two right-handers at the crease, Anukul Roy has been called into the attack.

Sunil Narine to Ishan Kishan, OUT! TAKEN! Two wickets in an over for Sunil Narine. He has the last laugh. Sunil Narine floats it up, on off, Ishan Kishan moves forward again and looks to loft it, but cuts across the ball. It is skied towards long off. Anukul Roy settles under it and takes a comfortable catch. Sunrisers Hyderabad are 148/7 and in a spot of bother now.

Sunil Narine to Ishan Kishan, SIX! Ishan Kishan continues to score runs! Flatter, on off, Ishan Kishan shimmies down the ground and launches it over wide long on for a biggie. He moves to 42 now.

Sunil Narine to Pat Cummins, Flatter, on leg, Pat Cummins pushes it wide of mid on for a quick single.

Sunil Narine to Pat Cummins, Quicker, outside off, Pat Cummins leaves it alone.

Sunil Narine to Pat Cummins, Full and on leg, Pat flicks it away to the left of deep backward square leg and comes back for the second run.

SRH's skipper, Pat Cummins walks out to bat.

Sunil Narine to Salil Arora, OUT! TIMBER! What a delivery from Sunil Narine. Quicker, on off, and on a length. Salil Arora leans on and looks to block it, but gets beaten completely as the ball drifts in initially, but then straightens to beat the outside edge and hits the top of the off pole. 200th IPL wicket for Sunil Narine. Narine becomes the third man after Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal to achieve this milestone, but the first overseas bowler to reach this landmark.

Whom does Ajinkya Rahane turn to now? Here is Sunil Narine for his final over. 3-0-22-0 so far for Narine.

Kartik Tyagi to Salil Arora, Excellent over from Kartik Tyagi. Just 4 runs off it. Back of a length, on off, Salil Arora pulls it through mid-wicket for a single.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, A slower bouncer, on off, Ishan Kishan pulls it to mid-wicket for a single.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, Hard length, outside off, Ishan Kishan cuts it but finds the fielder at backward point.

Kartik Tyagi to Salil Arora, Goes fuller this time, on off, Salil Arora pushes it to cover for a single.

Kartik Tyagi to Salil Arora, Length again, down leg, Salil Arora looks to flick it but wears it on his pads. The ball rolls towards the right of the bowler. Dot.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, Hard length, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan tugs it through mid-wicket for a single.

Kartik Tyagi (2-0-20-1) returns to the attack.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Salil Arora, Brilliant over. Too full, on off, Salil Arora leans on and blocks it to short cover. Varun Chakaravarthy ends his spell with figures of 4-0-36-3.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Salil Arora, Too full, on off, Salil Arora stays back and blocks it to the off side.

Salil Arora is the new man in. A slip in place for the new batter.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Aniket Verma, OUT! TAKEN! Varun Chakaravarthy gets his man. Slower through the air again, on off, with a hint of turn. Aniket Verma gets down on one knee and looks to go big. Gets a top edge again as the ball goes high up in the air between cover and mid off. Ajinkya Rahane runs over his right shoulder from cover and keeps his eyes on the ball all the way through to take a magnificent catch. Sunrisers Hyderabad continue to crumble. They are 135/5 after 13.4 overs now.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Aniket Verma, FOUR! Streaky, but they all count! Flighted up, outside off, Aniket Verma swings hard but gets an outside edge. The ball lands just short of Kartik Tyagi at short third, who makes a diving attempt to his left. The ball races away to the fence. Chakaravarthy is not happy with Tyagi's effort.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Aniket Verma, Another dot. Slower through the air, on off, Aniket Verma rocks back and blocks it to the right of the bowler.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Aniket Verma, Fired in, on off, Aniket Verma leans on and blocks it back to the bowler. Varun Chakaravarthy is hobbling because of the blow he took on the leg in his previous over. Ajinkya Rahane has a word with him. Varun is going to carry on.

STRATEGIC BREAK! This has been a good fightback from the Kolkata Knight Riders after being put under the pump early on. Ajinkya Rahane has used just five bowling options so far, with no Anukul Roy yet. That has been largely down to the presence of left-handers at the crease. Sunrisers Hyderabad will be aiming to go past 200, and they still have Salil Arora to come, who provided the finishing touches the other night in Mumbai, and he can hit the ball a long way. Varun Chakaravarthy to bowl out now. 3-0-32-2 for Varun.

Cameron Green to Ishan Kishan, Oh! Back of a length, on off, and it keeps a tad low. Ishan Kishan looks to pull it but gets beaten on the bottom edge. The ball just misses the stumps and rolls towards the keeper. Dot.

Cameron Green to Ishan Kishan, Hard length, just outside off, Ishan Kishan stays back and pushes it to the point fielder.

Cameron Green to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! That's a poor delivery! Cameron Green errs his line down leg, Ishan Kishan uses the pace of the ball and helps it through fine leg for a boundary.

Cameron Green to Ishan Kishan, Wide! Bangs it short, pace off, outside off, Ishan Kishan gets his hands high for the pull but misses. Wide called for height.

Cameron Green to Ishan Kishan, Slightly shorter, on leg, Ishan Kishan looks to pull it but doesn't connect. The ball lobs to the right of the keeper off the thigh. Dot.

Cameron Green to Aniket Verma, Keeps it on a length again, on leg, Aniket Verma whips it through backward square leg for a run.

Cameron Green to Aniket Verma, Cameron Green bowls a length ball, on off, Aniket Verma covers the line and blocks it off.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Aniket Verma, Full and around off, Aniket Verma punches this through cover for one run.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, Nice and full, on off, Ishan Kishan pushes it to cover for a quick single.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Aniket Verma, BYE! Googly, around off, Aniket Verma looks to defend but plays down the wrong line and is beaten on the inside edge. The bounce takes it over the sticks, and the keeper fails to gather the ball. A bye is taken as the ball rolls to square leg off the keeper's pads.

From 105/1, SRH have slipped to 122/4. A good phase in the game for KKR. Aniket Verma walks in next.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ravichandran Smaran, OUT! CAUGHT! Not a fruitful debut with the bat for Smaran as he walks back after scoring just 4. Tossed up, around off, Ravichandran Smaran shimmies down the track and looks to take on the boundary rider at long on. Gets the ball miscued from the cue end of his bat towards mid off. Ajinkya Rahane runs over his left shoulder from cover and puts in a dive at the end to snaffle it.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ravichandran Smaran, Quicker one, around off, Ravichandran Smaran looks to works this around mid-wicket but gets it edged off the outside towards short cover's left.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, Fuller around middle and off, Ishan Kishan drills this powerfully straight back to the bowler. Varun gets his shoe in the way, and the ball just bounces a bit before and hits Varun around his foot. A single is taken as the ball rolls to mid-wicket.

Cameron Green to Ravichandran Smaran, FOUR! Number 1392 of this season and the first ever in IPL history from the bat of Ravichandran Smaran. Short and around middle and leg, Ravichandran Smaran gets inside the line and hooks this through the backward square leg region for a boundary.

Cameron Green to Ravichandran Smaran, Full and around off, Ravichandran Smaran drives this to short cover for no run.

Add that to the list of contenders for the catch of the season. Ravichandran Smaran walks out to bat on his IPL debut.

Cameron Green to Heinrich Klaasen, OUT! CAUGHT! A stunner by Rovman Powell to send Heinrich Klaasen back in the dugout. Short and wide off, Heinrich Klaasen drags this with a pull towards the gap between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket. Rovman Powell runs to his right and runs in a bit too much to start with, but does extremely well to outstretch his right hand and grab a one-handed stunner. The third umpire is called into action to check the fairness of the catch. The replay shows that despite the fall, the ball never came in contact with the turf, and Rovman was in control of the catch.

Cameron Green to Heinrich Klaasen, FOUR! Up and over! On a good length, angled in, on middle. Klaasen brings his bat out in front and chips it over the man at mid-wicket. There is no protection in the deep and the deep square leg fielder can't cut it off.

Cameron Green to Heinrich Klaasen, SIX! KKR fans will consider this as a dropped chance and of all the players, it was Rinku Singh underneath it. Back of a length around off, Heinrich Klaasen looks to slog this out of the park, but connects this from the bottom part of his bat. Rinku Singh stays side-on at long on to take the catch to his right. He extends his hands out in front and tries to get rid of the ball immediately before going over the ropes. He can't grab hold of the ball in the first place as it clips his fingertips and drops beyond the boundary cushions.

Cameron Green to Heinrich Klaasen, Good length, around off, Heinrich Klaasen taps this to mid off for no run.

Time for pace as Cameron Green comes on, replacing Varun Chakaravarthy. Green conceded 14 runs in his only over so far.

Sunil Narine to Heinrich Klaasen, Tossed up, around middle and off, Heinrich Klaasen flicks this to the right of the bowler for a single down to long on. What an over from Sunil Narine as he gives away just 2 runs off it.

Sunil Narine to Heinrich Klaasen, Short and on off, Heinrich Klaasen punches this off his back foot towards short extra cover.

Sunil Narine to Heinrich Klaasen, Narine drags his length back a shade and bowls this around off, Heinrich Klaasen pushes out in front but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Sunil Narine to Heinrich Klaasen, Pushed through on off, Heinrich Klaasen rocks deep inside the crease and pushes this back to the bowler.

Sunil Narine to Ishan Kishan, Quicker one, around off, Ishan Kishan pulls this flat towards the deep mid-wicket region for one run.

Sunil Narine to Ishan Kishan, Fuller and flatter on off, Ishan Kishan blocks this back to the bowler.

End of a top knock from Travis Head. Heinrich Klaasen comes in at number 4 for SRH. Sunil Narine is back for his 3rd over. He went for 20 runs in his first two overs.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head, OUT! CAUGHT! Varun provides the much-needed breakthrough. Quicker one, short and into the batter, cramping Head to free his arms. Travis Head goes for a pull but mishits this off the upper half of the blade. Ends up hitting this straight into the hands of Cameron Green at the deep mid-wicket fence. Green takes it reverse cup around his shoulder and sends Head back. Head gets a pat on the back from Varun. Good to see.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head, SIX! 100 comes up for SRH in the 9th over. Fuller around off, Travis Head reaches it, gets right underneath it and hammers this for a biggie over the wide long off region.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head, Floated on middle and off, Travis Head backs away to his leg side and pushes this back to the bowler.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head, WIDE! Quicker one, wide outside off, Travis Head leaves it. Wided.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, Tossed up, wide of off, Ishan Kishan pushes this down to long off for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries. Short of a length, around middle and off, Ishan Kishan swivels and pulls this through the mid-wicket region for yet another boundary. The 50-run stand comes up.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! The fielders are nowhere to be found at the moment. Tossed up, on middle and off, Ishan Kishan muscles this down the ground for a boundary in front of the sight screen.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, Back of a length, on off, Travis Head looks to pull it but miscues it off the toe end to the fielder at short third. Dot. Just 5 runs off the over. First over in this innings without a boundary.

Vaibhav Arora to Ishan Kishan, Hard length, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, Back of a length, on off, Travis Head stays back and flat bats it to long off for a single.

Vaibhav Arora to Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav Arora goes full this time, on off, Ishan Kishan gets low and steers it through cover for just a single.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, Back of a length, on middle, Travis Head hops a bit and tugs it to square leg for one more.

Vaibhav Arora to Ishan Kishan, Short, on middle, Ishan Kishan hangs back and knocks it to mid on for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head, SIX! Clean as a whistle! Travis Head gets to his FIFTY in style. Floated up, full and on leg. Head clears the front leg and swings through the line of the ball. Tonks it way over long on for a biggie. A quality knock so far from Travis, and he will be keen to make it big.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, Flatter, on middle, Ishan Kishan pushes it to cover for a quick single.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head, Short, on off, Travis Head punches it to cover for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head, MISFIELD AND FOUR! That should have been stopped! Full, on middle, Travis Head gets down on one knee and slogs it wide of deep square leg. Anukul Roy moves to his right near the fence but fails to judge the bounce as the ball parries through his hands and goes to the fence for a boundary.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, Short, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan hangs back and pulls it to mid-wicket for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Ishan Kishan, Varun Chakaravarthy starts with a fuller one, on leg, Ishan Kishan blocks it to the left of the bowler.

STRATEGIC BREAK! It has been another dominant outing with the bat to start with for SRH as the top three have combined well to post 71 for 1 after the first 6 overs. Travis Head has been the main run-getter in this contest as he continues to look dangerous with an unbeaten 42 off just 19 balls. Abhishek Sharma had an off day as he was dismissed for not much. Another positive for SRH is that Ishan Kishan has also looked in good touch up to this point. Kolkata Knight Riders will be needing not just one but a few wickets in a cluster to stem the flow of runs, and they will be counting on Varun in particular to make that happen. Varun Chakaravarthy has been brought into the attack.

Kartik Tyagi to Travis Head, Kartik Tyagi goes full, on off, Travis Head swings hard but miscues it off the inner half to mid-wicket. A brilliant start from SRH. They are 71/1 at the end of Powerplay.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, Good length again, on leg, Ishan Kishan tucks it to square leg for a single.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Perfect placement from Ishan Kishan! Hard length, outside off, Ishan Kishan reads it well and steers it in the gap through backward point for a boundary.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, SIX! Ishan Kishan joins the party now! Back of a length, on middle and leg, Ishan Kishan winds up and pulls it over backward square leg for a flat six.

Kartik Tyagi to Travis Head, Nice and full, on off, Travis Head digs it down the ground for a single.

Kartik Tyagi to Travis Head, Back of a length, on off, Travis Head slaps it but finds the cover fielder.

Cameron Green to Travis Head, Slightly shorter, on off, Travis Head turns it to square leg for a single. Not a convincing over from Cameron Green. 14 runs coming off it.

Cameron Green to Travis Head, FOUR AGAIN! A hat-trick of boundaries from Head! Not exactly where he intended, but he will take it. Hard length, on middle and leg, Travis Head tries to pull it but gets it off the inside half of his bat. The ball races through backward square leg for yet another boundary.

Cameron Green to Travis Head, FOUR MORE! Back-to-back from Travis Head! Slightly shorter again, outside off, Travis Head stays back and pumps it over extra cover for yet another boundary.

Cameron Green to Travis Head, FOUR! The onslaught continues from Travis Head! Back of a length, outside off, Travis Head picks it well and chips it magnificently over extra cover for a boundary. The 50 is up for SRH.

Cameron Green to Ishan Kishan, On a good length, just outside off, Ishan Kishan stays back and steers it through backward point for a single.

Cameron Green to Ishan Kishan, Cameron Green starts with a dot. He bowls a back-of-a-length delivery, on off, Ishan Kishan hops a bit and blocks it to cover.

Cameron Green replaces Sunil Narine in the attack.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, At the hips, Ishan goes back and just glances it through the fine leg region for a run.

Kartik Tyagi to Ishan Kishan, Oh, that could have gone anywhere! Seam-up ball, on a short of a good length, on leg. Kishan closes the bat face to work it away on the leg side with a closed bat face. The ball seems to have stopped in the surface. It pops up off a leading edge and goes well over the bowler's head before dropping just behind the umpire.

Ishan Kishan replaces Abhishek out in the middle.

Kartik Tyagi to Abhishek Sharma, OUT! CAUGHT! A much-needed breakthrough for KKR. At 144.4 kph, Tyagi goes short and keeps it on middle and leg. Abhishek hangs on the back foot and swivels a bit for the pull. He is cramped for space and ends up spooning it off the upper half of the blade in front of square. Cameron Green moves to his left from mid-wicket and takes a reverse cup catch around his head.

Kartik Tyagi to Travis Head, Following the batter with a good-length delivery. Head flicks it behind square leg and gets to the other end.

Kartik Tyagi to Travis Head, Wide! Pace off and into the surface, over off. Head backs away to go up and over the in-field on the off side but misses. Wide given for height. Tyagi is not happy with the wide call but KKR do not challenge the call. To be fair, it did not look to be going over the head in real-time.

Kartik Tyagi to Abhishek Sharma, A good short ball at the bodyline of the batter, denying him the room. Abhishek is rushed and he mistimes the pull through square leg for a run.

Kartik Tyagi to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR! Streaky! Pushed across the left-hander, on a back of a length. Abhishek Sharma swings for the hills, looking to go down the ground. The ball flies off the outer half over the man at short third and goes away into the fence.

Kartik Tyagi comes in to replace Vaibhav Arora.

Sunil Narine to Travis Head, Sunil drops it short, on middle, that is cut away but straight to the fielder at point.

Sunil Narine to Travis Head, FOUR! The runs continue to flow. Narine serves it full, on middle and leg. Head clears the front leg and swings through the line. Smears it over wide mid on and the deep mid-wicket fielder stands no chance.

Sunil Narine to Travis Head, SIX! All the way! Flighted delivery, a little too straight, on the pads, on a length. Head sinks to a knee and plays the sweep over deep square leg for a six.

Sunil Narine to Travis Head, Shorter and on off, Travis gets on the back foot and punches it well but picks out the cover fielder.

Sunil Narine to Travis Head, Around middle and leg, on a good length. Head punches it to mid on.

Sunil Narine to Abhishek Sharma, On a length, on leg, Sharma clips it wide of mid-wicket for a single.

The fireworks have begun in Hyderabad. Head has smoked Vaibhav to all the corners of the park. 17 runs came off this over.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, FOUR! A hat-trick of boundaries from the Aussie. Vaibhav continues to be on the shorter side, over off. Head hops to get on top of the bounce and hits it all along the ground. Pulls it to the right of deep square leg for the fourth boundary of the over. 17 runs off Arora's first over.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, FOUR! A cleaner strike this time! Arora switches to around the wicket and bashes the hard length, on off. Travis rocks back and pulls it aerially over mid-wicket for another boundary.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, FOUR! Not off the middle but Head will take it. Width offered by Arora, on a back of a good length. Head leans back to flay it away. He does not quite get hold of it but he hits it well from deep point to his left for four more.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, Dug in short by Arora, across off. Head is early into the pull and drags it towards without much timing to mid-wicket.

Vaibhav Arora to Travis Head, FOUR! Off to the fence in a flash! Not that bad a ball, if anything, slightly too short, just outside the off stump. Head rises on his toes and forces it away through backward point, beating the man in the deep to his right.

Vaibhav Arora to Abhishek Sharma, Angling away, on a good length. Abhishek waits back and steers it to the right of backward point with an open bat face. They cross.

Pacer to operate from the other side. Vaibhav Arora will be bowling from the other end.

Sunil Narine to Abhishek Sharma, This spins back in and catches Abhishek by surprise. One hand comes off the bat handle as Sharma pushes this short ball away to the left of cover and picks up a single. 9 runs off the first over of the game.

Sunil Narine to Abhishek Sharma, Tighter line and quicker too. On top of off, on a nagging length. Abhishek stabs it down on the off side.

Sunil Narine to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! Abhishek Sharma tees off! Narine drags the length back and this is outside the off stump. Sharma is allowed to free his arms and he stands tall to dispatch it over wide long on for a biggie.

Sunil Narine to Travis Head, Floated up, across off, Head extends his hands and eases the drive to wide long off. He also opens his account with a single.

Sunil Narine to Abhishek Sharma, This is shorter and on off. Sharma gets on top of the bounce and punches it to long off for a single. Abhishek and SRH are underway.

Sunil Narine to Abhishek Sharma, Right on the money! Starts with an off-break, full and in line with the off stump. Abhishek brings his bat out in front and watchfully defends.

We are all set for what has all the ingredients of being an exciting contest. The dynamic opening pair of SRH, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have walked in the middle to open for the home side. It will be Sunil Narine to open proceedings for Kolkata Knight Riders with the ball. Interesting change by KKR. Abhishek to face the first ball. A slip in place. Here we go!

The skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane says they were looking to bat first as well. Rahane adds that the break before this game has certainly helped the side to look into themselves and regroup a bit better. Rahane informs that Finn Allen is back in place of Tim Seifert, and Manish Pandey plays his first game of the season, with Ramandeep Singh making way.

The captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad - Pat Cummins says that they will bat first. He adds that the pitch looks good, and it is quite hot, so they want to put runs on the board. Adds that the young guys have stepped up and done well, and everyone is giving their best. He reckons that they will try to keep on winning games. Pat ends by mentioning that Nitish Kumar Reddy misses out due to an illness, and Ravichandran Smaran comes in. There is another change with Harshal Patel coming in for Harsh Dubey.

Impact sub options for KKR - Finn Allen, Ramandeep Singh, Tejasvi Singh, Navdeep Saini and Tim Seifert.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Ajinkya Rahane (C), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey (In for Ramandeep Singh), Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakaravarthy.

Impact sub options for SRH - Harsh Dubey, Praful Hinge, Liam Livingstone, Sakib Hussain and Zeeshan Ansari.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Ravichandran Smaran (On IPL debut) (In for Nitish Kumar Reddy), Pat Cummins (C), Harshal Patel (In for Harsh Dubey), Shivang Kumar and Eshan Malinga.

TOSS - We are all set for the flip of the coin. There is a bit of cloud cover, which will come as a welcome relief for the players. Rahane calls 'Heads', but it has come down as a Tail. Sunrisers Hyderabad opt to BAT first.

A quick chat with SRH's star all-rounder - Nitish Kumar Reddy says the team plays an aggressive brand of cricket, and while the results may not always go their way, the intent remains the same. NKR believes that when the top order doesn't click, it's up to the likes of him, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, and Aniket Verma to step up and take responsibility. Reddy mentions that he is impressed with the way the inexperienced pacers have gone about their job so far. For him personally, it is about giving his 100 per cent to whatever the team requires, with no individual goals in mind.

KKR's assistant coach - Shane Watson has caught up with Alan Wilkins. Shane says the team has picked up some momentum in the last couple of games. Highlights that the bowling unit has been performing very well.  Watto is pleased to see Rinku Singh coming back into form, and he wants a couple of other guys to step up. Mentions that it is a great batting venue and hopes the side can turn it on today. Watson shares that the beauty of the team lies in their willingness to learn and improve, which is why they have been able to put together a couple of strong performances.

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa and Graeme Swann give us a lowdown of the conditions. Pommie mentions that it is a very hot day. Adds that the square boundaries are slightly uneven at 63 and 67 metres, with 77 metres straight down the ground. Graeme shares that it looks like a very good batting surface. Tells that it is quite dry but rock hard. With it being a day game and the sun beating down, he expects the pitch to take turn as the game progresses. Pommie reckons anything over 200 is what teams should be aiming for if they bat first. Swann feels that batting first is the way to go. His view is to make the opposition field in the heat, and then unleash the spinners.

The ultimate showdown - So, what will happen in this afternoon's thriller? Both teams are bringing their own winning streaks into this game. Will the mighty Sunrisers use their raw power to make it six wins in a row? Or will KKR pull off a stunning upset to halt the Hyderabad dominance and secure their third straight victory? The toss is coming up shortly, and the action is just moments away!

Knight Riders are finding their groove - On the other side, we have the Kolkata Knight Riders, who are finally showing some fight. It was a rough start to the season for the three-time champions, but they have managed to win their last two matches in thrilling fashion. Thanks to the heroics of Rinku Singh with the bat and the brilliant super over bowling by Sunil Narine, KKR have found their winning belief again. They will be desperate to keep this momentum going.

The orange army is looking unstoppable - The home team is looking absolutely unstoppable right now. Sitting comfortably in third place on the points table, SRH are riding a massive five-game winning streak. Led by Pat Cummins, their batters have been completely brutal, easily chasing down huge targets over 225 in their recent games. With Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen in top form, this batting lineup is a nightmare for any bowling attack. 

Welcome to Hyderabad! Hello, and a very warm welcome to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium for match number 45 of the IPL. It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon here in Hyderabad, and the stage is perfectly set for a blockbuster clash. Today, the high-flying Sunrisers Hyderabad are ready to defend their home turf against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Grab your seats, because the weekend doubleheader is about to start with a bang.

... MATCH DAY ...

Wounded Knights challenge Orange Army - A month into the IPL 2026 season, and the tournament has already thrown everything at us. Records have been shattered, targets have been chased with ridiculous ease, and every mathematical barrier has been broken. Now, with the playoff race tightening by the day, the remaining weeks promise to be significantly more unforgiving and intense. Match 45 brings the action back to the City of Pearls, where the high-flying Sunrisers Hyderabad go up against the struggling Kolkata Knight Riders at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The last time these two sides met was exactly a month ago, and the Orange Army made the trip to Kolkata and left with the points. As things stand - After more than half the season, the points table tells a clear story. The top five teams have created a visible gap from the bottom five, and the divide is only getting sharper. The Sunrisers, buoyed by a five-match winning streak, are currently placed third, and a win here at home will catapult them to the top. They have been the silent assassins of the season, binning every doubt that was thrown their way. For KKR, they have finally broken the losing curse and carry a two-match winning momentum into this game. Their Super Over victory against LSG has only increased the confidence and self-belief in the camp. But the big picture is far less comfortable. With six games left, every game is a must-win for them to stay in contention. And one believes that a week-long break coming right after a win can be a double-edged sword, as much a blessing as it is a disruption. Slayers with the bat - It won't be an exaggeration to say that for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. They have been absolutely ruthless with the bat in their recent games, especially in the manner they have gone about getting those wins by habitually posting and now chasing massive totals. For a side that had won all four of their games while defending targets, the last two wins have come while scaling mountains. They chased down 229 with absolute ease, with 9 balls remaining. And then came the heist at Wankhede, where they executed the fourth-highest successful run chase in IPL history, chasing down 244 with 8 balls to spare. 'Travishek' leads the way - This opening partnership is the axis around which SRH's batting well and truly revolves. Five 50-plus stands and two century opening partnerships across nine matches tell you everything about the destructive pedigree this pair carries to the crease. The flip side is just as consistent, though. In two of their three defeats, both openers have been dismissed within the Powerplay, and that early double blow has proven to be a bit of a wound. So the contest within the contest is clear. Survive the powerplay together, and SRH shift gears into something devastating. Lose one or both early, and the equation changes. For Head, it has been all or nothing this season, but Abhishek has been a different story altogether, going about his business with clinical ruthlessness, match after match. With 425 runs so far, Abhishek is SRH’s leading run scorer this year and has smashed the second-most number of sixes (31) in the season so far. Mr Consistent - While Ishan Kishan has executed his number three role with efficiency and clarity, keeping the explosive intent of the top two very much alive, it is Heinrich Klaasen who has been the embodiment of what consistency rewarded looks like. The South African has not registered a single one-digit score all season, with 29 being his lowest. Four fifties in the bank, and a batting average of 59.14 that places him second among all batters to have crossed at least the 300-run mark this season, only behind Shreyas Iyer's 61.8. Klaasen has not just been reliable, he has been an immovable force. Reinforced and mighty effective - Pat Cummins' return has brought a certain authority back to the SRH bowling attack. The discipline, the intelligence, the readiness to bowl the tough overs, it has all been on display in the short time he has been back. But if Cummins is the experience, Eshan Malinga has been the revelation. The slingy pacer leads SRH's wicket-takers chart with 15 scalps. The Wankhede game was the finest illustration. While every other bowler was being put to the sword by a rampaging MI lineup, Malinga held his nerve and walked away with figures of 1/29 in 4 overs. In a game that demanded a 245-run chase, that was no small feat. Unsolved problems - The Knight Riders have shown a bit of improvement over the last couple of games, but there are still a lot of issues that need to be addressed in this KKR batting unit. They are one of the teams to lose the most wickets inside the Powerplay. If Finn Allen couldn’t produce the fireworks up top, Tim Seifert’s experiment hasn’t reaped the rewards either for them. Whereas skipper Ajinkya Rahane's form is firmly under the scanner. One fifty-plus score all season, and just 10 runs across the last three games, including a couple of ducks, is not the kind of form you want your captain carrying into a must-win stretch. Angkrish Raghuvanshi's dip in form after such a promising start to the season has been hard to ignore. The dismissal for obstructing the field in the previous game raised a lot of heat and debate and is an untimely footnote. The common thread running through KKR's batting struggles is clear. It starts at the top, and that is exactly where the answers need to come from. Signs of a comeback - KKR’s middle order has done a decent job ever since Cameron Green has been among the runs. Not at his destructive best, but something is better than nothing. The bigger story, however, is Rinku Singh. He absorbed a lot of flak for his poor run with the bat earlier in the season, but has since silenced every critic with two back-to-back unbeaten fifty-plus match-winning scores. The previous game against LSG was perhaps his finest statement. It was virtually Rinku versus LSG, with the ball following him to every corner of the field, and poetically, it was he who finished the job in the Super Over as well. The Knight Riders will hope that kind of rescue act is not always needed, but they will be equally relieved knowing Rinku is capable of delivering it. Spin to win - KKR boast two of the finest spinners in the league, and when both are firing, they are a handful on any surface. Sunil Narine has been at his usual best, as frugal and suffocating as ever, but for a while, he was missing that penetration from the other end. Varun Chakaravarthy has since answered that call, picking up 7 wickets across the last three matches and looking very much like his old self again. But the bowler who has quietly flown under the radar this season is Kartik Tyagi. The 25-year-old has impressed in his comeback season, and while 9 wickets in 9 matches tells part of the story, it is his execution of the yorker and the wide yorker in the crucial overs that has made the bigger impression. Team form (Last 5 completed IPL matches, recent first) SRH - WWWWW | KKR - WWLLL. What to expect? Rajiv Gandhi Stadium is always considered to be a safe haven for the batters, and this season hasn’t been any different either. With 202 being the average first inning score at this venue this season, another high-scoring contest is expected. But since it’s an afternoon game, one can expect spinners to come into the equation with a little bit of assistance for the seamers, too. The head-to-head numbers offer little comfort for the home side. SRH trail KKR 4-3 at this ground, and the overall record tells a similar story, with the Knight Riders holding a commanding 20-11 edge across all meetings. The Sunrisers have also had a middling home record in day games, winning and losing 7 apiece in 14 such contests. One trend that has held firm at home this season, though, is SRH batting first on all occasions, successfully defending their target three times out of those.