Sunrisers Hyderabad became the first team to win after batting first in IPL 2026 as they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs at Eden Gardens on Thursday.
Written by Srijal Upadhyay
Published: Apr 03, 2026, 03:19 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 03, 2026, 03:19 PM (IST)
IPL 2026 updated points table
SRH’s strong batting display, led by Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen, helped them secure a comfortable 65-run win. For KKR, the lack of partnerships and poor finishing proved costly in their second straight defeat.
Put in to bat, SRH posted a strong 226/8 in 20 overs – the highest score of the season so far. KKR could only manage 161 in 16 overs while chasing the target.
Explosive start by SRH openers
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma gave SRH a flying start, adding 82 runs in just 5.4 overs. Head smashed 46 off 21 balls, while Abhishek scored 48 off 21 balls.
Heinrich Klaasen then played a crucial role with a composed 52 off 35 balls. His innings helped SRH score 51 runs in the last four overs and set a challenging total.
KKR’s collapse after strong start
KKR got off to a quick start with Finn Allen smashing 25 runs in the first over. Angkrish Raghuvanshi also played well, scoring a quick 52 off 29 balls. At one stage, KKR were 110/3 in 10 overs.
However, the momentum shifted completely after Raghuvanshi’s dismissal. The middle order failed to build big partnerships, and KKR lost wickets regularly to slump to 161 all out.
Nitish Kumar Reddy wins Player of the Match
Nitish Kumar Reddy was named Player of the Match for his impressive all-round performance – 39 runs off 24 balls and 2 wickets with the ball.
IPL 2026: Updated Points Table after KKR vs SRH match
PositionTeamMatchesWonLostNo ResultPointsNet Run Rate (NRR)1Rajasthan Royals11002+4.1712Royal Challengers Bengaluru11002+2.9073Delhi Capitals11002+1.3974Mumbai Indians11002+0.6875Punjab Kings11002+0.5096Sunrisers Hyderabad21102+0.4697Gujarat Titans10100-0.5098Lucknow Super Giants10100-1.3979Kolkata Knight Riders20200-1.96410Chennai Super Kings10100-4.171
Ishan Kishan’s reaction after the win
After the victory, SRH captain Ishan Kishan praised the team effort but stressed the need to improve their fielding.
“Fielding is one area where we need to work as a team. 10-20 runs can make a big difference.”
Ajinkya Rahane on KKR’s defeat
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane admitted that the lack of big partnerships cost them the game.
“Yes, I felt we needed some big partnerships. The players who got set should have taken the innings deeper. In batting, when you are chasing, you need big partnerships, but we couldn’t get that.”
He also noted that the pitch became slower in the second half.
“The ball was holding a bit in the second half. But we don’t want to make excuses. We have to adapt accordingly.”
