In a thrilling encounter at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) faced off against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 15 of the IPL 2025 season on April 3, 2025. Both teams entered the match seeking redemption after struggling at the start of the tournament, each having won only one of their first three matches. The stakes were high, and the atmosphere was electric as fans filled the stadium, eager to see which team could gain the crucial two points.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by captain Pat Cummins, won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that would soon be put to the test. KKR made one change to their lineup, bringing in Moeen Ali to replace pacer Spencer Johnson. The match commenced with KKR's Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine opening the batting. However, the start was rocky for KKR as they lost de Kock for just one run, caught by Simarjeet Singh off Cummins' bowling.
Things went from bad to worse for KKR as they slumped to 16/2 with Narine falling for seven, courtesy of Mohammed Shami. But just when it seemed like KKR was in deep trouble, Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi stepped up to the plate. The duo forged a crucial 81-run partnership, stabilizing the innings and taking the score to 53/2 by the end of the powerplay.
Raghuvanshi, who had been under pressure, found his rhythm and scored a brisk fifty off just 30 balls before being dismissed for 50, caught by Harshal Patel off the bowling of Kamindu Mendis. Rahane contributed significantly with a solid 38 runs off 27 balls, but his dismissal came at a critical juncture as he attempted an ambitious reverse sweep against Zeeshan Ansari.
With KKR at 97/3 after 11 overs, it was Venkatesh Iyer who took charge. The vice-captain played a sensational knock, scoring 60 runs off just 29 balls, which included seven fours and three sixes. Iyer's explosive batting was pivotal, especially as he shared a 91-run partnership with Rinku Singh, who remained unbeaten on 32 runs off 17 balls. The pair's aggressive approach in the death overs saw KKR reach a formidable total of 200/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
As KKR set a challenging target of 201 runs, the pressure was on SRH. However, their innings got off to a disastrous start. Travis Head, who had been a key player for SRH, fell to the second ball of the innings after hitting a boundary. He was caught at deep mid-off by Harshit Rana off the bowling of Vaibhav Arora. The situation worsened for SRH as Abhishek Sharma followed shortly after, caught at slip for just two runs, leaving the team reeling at 9/3 after three overs.
Things did not improve for SRH as they limped to 33/4 by the end of the powerplay. Ishan Kishan was dismissed for two runs, caught by KKR skipper Rahane, and the pressure mounted with each passing over. Andre Russell was introduced to the attack and, despite being hit for 18 runs in one over, managed to dismiss Nitish Kumar Reddy for 19 runs.
With the innings in disarray, SRH needed a miracle to chase down the target. While Kamindu Mendis showed some resistance, scoring 17 runs off Russell, the rest of the batting line-up struggled to build partnerships. The fall of wickets continued, and SRH found themselves in a deep hole.
In a remarkable display of bowling, KKR's bowlers kept the pressure on SRH, with Varun Chakaravarthy being a standout performer. Although he only took three wickets in the tournament leading up to this match, his control and ability to pick up crucial wickets made him a valuable asset. The pacers also played a significant role, taking 64.1% of the wickets while maintaining pressure on the SRH batsmen.
As the innings progressed, it became clear that SRH would struggle to meet the target. They ended their innings at 135 runs, well short of KKR's total. This match marked another significant win for KKR over SRH, extending their head-to-head record to 20 wins against SRH's nine in IPL history.
Post-match, KKR's captain Ajinkya Rahane expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly praising Iyer's explosive batting. “Venkatesh showed his class today. We needed that kind of innings to set a competitive total, and he delivered,” Rahane stated. SRH's captain Cummins, on the other hand, acknowledged the team's poor start and vowed to regroup ahead of their next match.
In terms of individual performances, Venkatesh Iyer was undoubtedly the star of the match, achieving his third successive fifty against SRH and demonstrating his ability to handle pressure. Rinku Singh also made a notable contribution, marking his 50th match for KKR with a solid performance.
The match was played under clear skies, with temperatures hovering around 30-35°C, ensuring a full match without weather interruptions. Fans left the stadium buzzing, having witnessed a thrilling display of cricket that highlighted the intensity of the IPL.
As the IPL 2025 season progresses, both teams will look to learn from this match and improve their standings in the tournament. With KKR gaining momentum, they will aim to build on this victory, while SRH will need to regroup quickly to turn their fortunes around.
