Angkrish Raghuvanshi Stars as KKR Cruise Past SRH by 7 Wickets

Score:
Sunrisers Hyderabad 165 all out (19 overs)
Kolkata Knight Riders 169/3 (18.2 overs)
KKR won by 7 wickets

Hyderabad, May 2026 : A composed half-century from Angkrish Raghuvanshi and a disciplined bowling performance led by Varun Chakaravarthy powered Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing a modest target of 166, KKR completed the task with ease in 18.2 overs, showcasing a well-balanced effort with both bat and ball.

KKR’s chase began cautiously, with openers Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen taking time to settle. The duo managed just 14 runs in the first two overs before Rahane broke the shackles with a six. Allen then shifted gears dramatically, attacking Pat Cummins with two sixes and two boundaries in a single over.

However, Allen’s quickfire 29 off 13 balls ended when he was caught by Heinrich Klaasen in the deep. After his dismissal, Raghuvanshi joined Rahane and the pair steadied the innings with a mix of caution and controlled aggression.

The young Raghuvanshi looked increasingly confident, playing his shots freely while maintaining composure. He struck two sixes in the final over of the powerplay, helping KKR reach 71/1 after six overs. Alongside Rahane, he stitched together a crucial 84-run partnership that effectively took the game away from SRH.

Raghuvanshi brought up his half-century in 39 balls, displaying maturity beyond his years. Rahane, on the other hand, played the anchor role to perfection, scoring a steady 43 off 36 deliveries. The partnership was eventually broken when Sakib Hussain dismissed Rahane, caught by Smaran Ravichandran.

Raghuvanshi’s impressive innings ended in the 17th over when he was dismissed for 59 off 47 balls, an innings decorated with five fours and two sixes. Despite losing both set batters late in the chase, KKR remained firmly in control. Rinku Singh and Cameron Green calmly guided the team home with 10 balls to spare.

Earlier, SRH made a blazing start after being put in to bat. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma attacked from the outset, taking SRH to 71/1 in the powerplay. Head was particularly aggressive, smashing 61 off just 28 balls, including nine fours and three sixes.

KKR, however, clawed their way back into the match after the early onslaught. Kartik Tyagi provided the first breakthrough by dismissing Abhishek, and the turning point came with Head’s wicket, which slowed SRH’s momentum significantly.

The middle overs saw KKR’s bowlers tighten the screws. Cameron Green removed Klaasen, while Varun Chakaravarthy delivered a match-defining spell, picking up three crucial wickets and triggering a collapse. Ishan Kishan tried to anchor the innings with a 42-run knock, but lacked support from the other end.

Sunil Narine also made his presence felt, claiming two wickets and reaching the milestone of 200 IPL wickets during the match. Regular wickets in the death overs ensured SRH were bowled out for 165 in 19 overs.

KKR’s clinical performance highlighted their depth and balance, as they combined disciplined bowling with a composed chase to register a convincing victory.