IPL 2025: Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi Star In KKRs Dominating 80-Run Win SRH

Venkatesh Iyer answered his critics with a match-winning 60 off 29 balls, propelling Kolkata Knight Riders to a convincing 80-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad within the Indian Premier League in Kolkata on Thursday.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s elegant 50 (32b, 5×4, 2×6) in an 81-run stand with skipper Ajinkya Rahane (38 off 27) laid the muse, whereas Iyer and Rinku Singh (32 not out off 17b) offered the late fireworks with a blistering 91-run partnership (41b) to carry KKR to 200/6 — their highest whole of the season.

Seamer Vaibhav Arora set the tone by eradicating the damaging Travis Head (4) and Ishan Kishan (2) in successive overs to return with spectacular figures of 4-1-29-3.

Harshit Rana dismissed Abhishek Sharma (2), leaving SRH reeling at 9/3 in 2.1 overs, whereas Andre Russell and Sunil Narine additionally chipped in with a wicket every to make it 66/5 inside 10 overs.

Varun Chakravarthy then cleaned up the decrease order taking two wickets in two balls en path to his 4-0-22-3 as SRH crumbled to 120 all out — their explosive batting lineup lasting simply 16.4 overs.

The defending champions thus returned to successful methods after shedding two of their first three matches and can subsequent face Lucknow Tremendous Giants on Tuesday.

In the meantime, SRH, enduring their third straight defeat, head dwelling to tackle Gujarat Titans on Sunday.

After being diminished to 9/3 in 2.1 overs, Nitish Reddy (19) counterattacked Arora with two fours and a six, whereas Kamindu Mendis (27 off 20 balls) lifted hopes by taking over Andre Russell with a pick-up shot over deep sq. leg.

However Russell struck again to take away Reddy earlier than Sunil Narine (1/30) accounted for Mendis within the tenth over, lowering SRH to 66/5 on the midway mark and successfully ending their chase.

Earlier, KKR’s new-look opening pair continued to battle, with Quinton de Kock (1) and Narine (7) as soon as once more falling cheaply after Pat Cummins opted to bowl first.

Rahane and Raghuvanshi steadied the innings, countering early motion with clever shot choice. Rahane’s back-to-back pull-shot sixes off Shami and Cummins broke the shackles, as KKR reached 53/2 after the powerplay. Raghuvanshi showcased his stroke-making prowess with beautiful drives and a shocking reverse hit previous backward level, reaching his fifty in 30 balls.

Zeeshan Ansari (1/25) ultimately ended the partnership, dismissing Rahane in the identical over Raghuvanshi was dropped on 43. Nevertheless, the teenager didn’t final lengthy, falling to a shocking forward-diving catch off IPl debutant Kamindu Mendis.

Mendis, making his IPL debut, bowled left-arm spin to right-hander Raghuvanshi earlier than switching to off-spin in opposition to the left-handed Rinku Singh in the identical over, a uncommon sight within the competitors.

Boundaries dried up for 16 balls earlier than Iyer, KKR’s costliest participant this season (INR 23.75 crore), broke the shackles with a determined pull off a Simarjeet Singh beamer.

Rinku adopted with three successive boundaries off Harshal Patel earlier than Iyer tore into Simarjeet, hammering him for consecutive fours.

Rinku completed the over with a towering six over long-on, yielding 17 runs, whereas Iyer went berserk in opposition to Cummins within the nineteenth over, smashing him for 4, 6, 4, 4 in succession as KKR amassed 78 runs within the final 5 overs.

Cummins’ reluctance to make use of spin regardless of variable bounce raised eyebrows. Mendis (1/4) wasn’t given one other over after his essential breakthrough, whereas Ansari bowled simply three overs (1/25). As a substitute, Cummins trusted his tempo assault, which did not comprise Iyer and Rinku within the demise overs.