KKR Storm Back: Varun’s Spin Magic Collapses SRH as Knight Riders Chase Down 166 Comfortably
Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 wickets — Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s composed 59 and Varun Chakaravarthy’s 3/36 delivered a crucial IPL 2026 away win. SRH’s breathtaking collapse from 105/1 to 165 all out turned a commanding position into a crushing defeat.
This was Match 45 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, and KKR desperately needed this victory to keep their playoff hopes alive after a rough patch earlier in the season. SRH, meanwhile, saw their five-match winning streak snapped and missed their chance to climb to the top of the table.
How It Happened
SRH won the toss and chose to bat first in hot, humid Hyderabad conditions. The openers exploded out of the blocks — Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma raced to a 44-run partnership in just 3.4 overs.
Head flew like a rocket: 61 runs off just 28 balls, hammering nine fours and three sixes at a scorching 217.85 strike rate. Ishan Kishan joined the party with a handy 42 off 29 balls (four boundaries, two sixes), and the pair added 61 runs for the second wicket.
Then came the implosion. From 105/1 in 8.5 overs, SRH meltdown into chaos — losing nine wickets for just 60 runs in 10.1 overs. This was the fourth-worst batting collapse in IPL history.
Varun Chakaravarthy ripped through the middle order with 3/36 in 4 overs, including the crucial wicket ofHead at 8.6 overs when the clock read 100 runs for SRH. Kartik Tyagi chipped in with 2/30, while Sunil Narine took 2/31 and became only the third player ever to reach 200+ IPL wickets. SRH ended all out for 165 in 19 overs — their first dismissal in IPL 2026.
KKR’s chase started briskly with Finn Allen’s rapid 29 off 13 balls, though he fell in the fourth over. Captain Ajinkya Rahane (43 off 36 balls, three fours, one six) and Raghuvanshi (59 off 47 balls, five fours, two sixes) then stitched together a match-winning 84-run partnership for the second wicket in 11 overs.
Both established batsmen fell within 11 balls of each other — Rahane to Shivang Kumar, Raghuvanshi to Sakib Hussain — but the foundation was solid. KKR reached 133/2 in 15 overs, needing just 33 off 30 balls.
Rinku Singh walked in and coldly closed it out: 22* off 11 balls (two fours, one six), including the winning boundary — a powerful pull shot in front of square off Pat Cummins. KKR crossed 169/3 in 18.2 overs with 10 balls remaining.
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Scorecard / Match Stats
Sunrisers Hyderabad innings
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | c Cameron Green b Kartik Tyagi | 15 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Travis Head | c Cameron Green b Varun Chakravarthy | 61 | 28 | 9 | 3 | 217.86 |
| Ishan Kishan (wk) | c Anukul Roy b Sunil Narine | 42 | 29 | 4 | 2 | 144.83 |
| Heinrich Klaasen | c Rovman Powell b Cameron Green | 11 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 137.50 |
| Smaran Ravichandran | c Ajinkya Rahane b Varun Chakravarthy | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Aniket Verma | c Ajinkya Rahane b Varun Chakravarthy | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Salil Arora | b Sunil Narine | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Pat Cummins (c) | c and b Anukul Roy | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 125.00 |
| Shiving Kumar | c Angkrish Raghuvanshi b Vaibhav Arora | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Harshal Patel | c Vaibhav Arora b Kartik Tyagi | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Eshan Malinga | not out | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Extras | b 1, lb 0, w 4, nb 0, p 0 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 19 Overs, RR 8.68 | 165/10 |
Kolkata Knight Riders bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Narine | 4 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7.80 |
| Vaibhav Arora | 3 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8.30 |
| Kartik Tyagi | 4 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7.50 |
| Cameron Green | 3 | 0 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11.30 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 4 | 0 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Anukul Roy | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8.00 |
Kolkata Knight Riders innings
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajinkya Rahane (c) | c Smaran Ravichandran b Sakib Hussain | 43 | 36 | 4 | 1 | 119.44 |
| Finn Allen | c Heinrich Klaasen b Pat Cummins | 29 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 223.08 |
| Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk) | c Eshan Malinga b Shiving Kumar | 59 | 47 | 5 | 2 | 125.53 |
| Rinku Singh | not out | 22 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Cameron Green | not out | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | b 0, lb 1, w 12, nb 0, p 0 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 18.2 Overs, RR 9.22 | 169/3 | ||||
| Did not bat | Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakravarthy |
Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.00 |
| Pat Cummins (c) | 4 | 0 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 11.80 |
| Eshan Malinga | 3.2 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12.60 |
| Shiving Kumar | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7.80 |
| Harshal Patel | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8.50 |
| Sakib Hussain | 3 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5.70 |
Star Performer
Varun Chakaravarthy — Player of the Match with 3/36 in 4 overs
This wasn’t just a three-wicket haul — it was a masterclass in mystery spin under pressure. Varun got Travis Head when SRH sat pretty at 105/1, the breakthrough that triggered the entire collapse. His quicker one, short and into the batter, cramped Head for room before he was caught.
Varun was hobbling after the match — “It’s just the impact pain. Still I’m not able to put my foot fully down” — yet he still delivered when KKR needed him most. With 100 IPL wickets for KKR (joining Sunil Narine and Andre Russell in this elite club), Varun proved why he’s a premier mystery spinner.
The Turning Point
Over 8.6 — Varun Chakaravarthy to Travis Head: OUT!
SRH stood at 105/1 after 8.5 overs, looking completely dominant. Ten balls later, Head was gone — caught off Varun’s faster one that cramped him for room. From that moment, the collapse began: nine wickets for 60 runs in 60 balls.
Before: SRH cruising toward 200+. After: All out for 165 — their first dismissal in IPL 2026.
What This Means
KKR registered their third consecutive win in IPL 2026, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. SRH, meanwhile, lost their chance to reach the top of the table and saw their five-match winning streak end.
KKR now sit with 12 points from 10 matches (6 wins, 4 losses), while SRH also has 12 points but a lower NRR at 0.644.
The Bottom Line
Varun’s spin shattered SRH’s dream total, and Raghuvanshi’s poise sealed acomfortable chase — KKR’s ‘A’ game arrived exactly when their season hung in the balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won SRH vs KKR IPL 2026 Match 45?
A: Kolkata Knight Riders won by 7 wickets, chasing 166 with 10 balls remaining (169/3 in 18.2 overs).
Q: Who was the Player of the Match?
A: Varun Chakaravarthy (KKR) with bowling figures of 3/36 in 4 overs.
Q: What is the current IPL 2026 standings after this match?
A: SRH and KKR both have 12 points from 10 matches; SRH has NRR of 0.644, KKR remains lower on NRR but now with three consecutive wins.
References
Cricbuzz — Raghuvanshi, Rahane propel KKR after SRH’s collapse — https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/138636/kolkata-knight-riders-sunrisers-hyderabad-ipl-2026-match-report-cricbuzzcom
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