Eshan Malinga to Harshit Rana, FOUR, smashed wide of long-on. A slower-ball off-cutter outside off, Harshit Rana stays back and belts that so hard, into the gap
A year ago, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders were gearing up for a showdown in the final of the 17th IPL season, having dominated the tournament and set new benchmarks in batting performance.
Cut to Sunday evening, both SRH and KKR will step out for the last time this season, knowing that their inconsistent returns were beaten by teams that got better at the templates that they’d set last edition. While SRH have found their mojo with the pressures of qualifying eased out, the defending champions Kolkata will hope to sign off with a win in their first outing in nearly three weeks.
Unadkat to Manish Pandey, out Caught by Abhinav Manohar!! More good bowling and the slower-ball gets Manish Pandey. It's short and rising, Pandey gets forward to pull, doesn't time it and picks out deep mid-wicket. Simple catch for Manohar. Another good hand this from Pandey.
Eshan Malinga to Manish Pandey, SIX, fine striking this from Manish Pandey. Picks the slower-ball off-cutter, is again too full, in the slot on off, he lofts powerfully and eaisly clears long-on. Three sixes in that over and 21 off it
Abhishek Sharma to Harshit Rana, SIX, dropped by Harshal at long-on. He did not judge that well at all. Again full on the stumps, Harshit Rana gets low and lofts, Harshal standing on the edge of the cushions, tries to reverse-cup and the ball bursts through the hands
Eshan Malinga strikes in his first over, de Kock out cheaplyImpact sub Harsh Dubey gets 2 in 2, dismissing Rinku and RussellRaghuvanshi and Pandey get a partnership going, but boundaries dry upRaghuvanshi holes out to long-on, Malinga strikes againKKR struggling at 97/6 after 13 overs
Eshan Malinga to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, out Caught by Nitish Reddy!! Straight to deep square-leg. Another catch for Nitish.
Harsh Dubey to Russell, out Lbw!! So plumb that Russell starts walking even before umpire Adrian Holdstock had the finger up. Nicely bowled. The length delivery drifts into middle, turns just the hint and that's enough to beat Russell's back foot defence, he plays down the wrong line, struck on the back pad and that's as plumb as it gets. No need for a review. Harsh Dubey on a hat-trick.
Eshan Malinga to de Kock, out Caught by Abhinav Manohar!! A sorry innings from de Kock. He would be relieved it's over. Hardly middled anything and he has holed out to a low full-toss. And to compound his misery, the technology kept him waiting as he reviewed for a no-ball for height.
Harshal Patel to Rahane, FOUR, shot! Length ball with width on offer, Rahane drives on the rise
Unadkat to Narine, out Bowled!! Unadkat has his man! Deceives Narine with a slower delivery. An off-cutter from Unadkat on a length, Narine clears his front leg to swing it across the line and misses it altogether as he's early into his shot. Beaten on the inside edge and the ball crashes into the leg-stump. That was bowled at 100.6kph!
Unadkat to Narine, FOUR, edged and four! 131.4kph, pitched up delivery, Narine moves leg-side to swing it over mid-on/midwicket, gets a fat outside edge that flies over short third man
Cummins to Narine, SIX, 137.5kph, Narine gets going with a maximum! Fuller than a length on the stumps, Narine clears his front leg and swings through the line to hit it over the bowler's head. Makes it look so easy
Nortje to Aniket Verma, 1 run, high full toss, Aniket Verma throws his arms and miscues over point
Vaibhav Arora to Klaasen, 2 runs, second IPL century for Heinrich Klaasen! Off-speed short ball, pulled through midwicket for an easy two. Looks towards the sky, removes his helmet and raises his bat to soak in all the applause.
Varun Chakaravarthy to Klaasen, SIX, 98.1kph, second six of the over! The length is on the shorter side, the line is outside off and Klaasen has ample time on the back foot to muscle the pull over cow corner
Narine to Klaasen, SIX, Narine tries to bowl outside the batter's arc. Quick and wide of off on a length, plenty of width for Klaasen to free his arms
Narine to Head, out Caught by Russell at long-off!! Holes out! Narine floats it fuller and wider, Head goes chasing for a big swipe on that one, ends up skewing it off the bottom and Russell at long-off completes the catch. Ends a fine, fine innings from the SRH opener.
Harshit Rana to Klaasen, SIX, a 17-ball fifty for Heinrich Klaasen!! That's what made him the most expensive retention heading into this IPL... A slower delivery that was pitched up outside off, Klaasen shuffles in and slams it over long-on for a maximum
Varun Chakaravarthy to Klaasen, FOUR, to long-on
Varun Chakaravarthy to Klaasen, SIX, good length and drifting onto middle stump, Klaasen shuffles in, stays tall and smokes it over deep square leg for a maximum. 300th six in T20s for Klaasen
Varun Chakaravarthy to Head, SIX, 99.4 clicks, too short and onto middle and leg, Travis Head rocks back and pulls it away into the stands beyond deep mid-wicket. Third half century of IPL 2025 for the southpaw from South Australia, and it feels like he's just getting started here.
Narine to Abhishek Sharma, out Caught by Rinku Singh!! Two sixes and now out! Narine darts this fuller and gets some turn outside off. Abhishek Sharma tries to heave it across the line, toe-ends it slightly and holes out to deep mid-wicket. A much needed breakthrough for KKR
Narine to Abhishek Sharma, SIX, six more!! A short and wide delivery outside off, Abhishek Sharma slaps it away over deep extra cover.
Nortje to Abhishek Sharma, FOUR, attempted yorker, just a tad overcooked and ends as a low full toss, Abhishek Sharma gets under it and hoists it over covers for a boundary
Harshit Rana to Head, FOUR, 145.6 clicks, a full, fast delivery straying onto the pads, Head closes the bat face to the right of short fine for a boundary
Nortje to Head, SIX, 141.1 clicks, just that bit of extra pace and bounce that has Travis Head licking his lips. Shortish onto the body and the southpaw gets into position super early to pull it away into the stands beyond deep square leg