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Heinrich Klaasen's half-century guided Sunrisers Hyderabad back to winning ways as they thrashed Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs in their IPL 2026 clash on Thursday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen celebrates his half century against KKR. (PTI)Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pocketed their first points in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) with a clinical 65-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. Having already lost their respective first games, pressure was on both KKR and SRH. But it was Ishan Kishan's side that went home with their pockets full.
Sent into bat first by home skipper Ajinkya Rahane, SRH were off to a flier with Travis Head (46) and Abhishek Sharma (48) putting 82 runs for the first wicket in just 5.4 overs. However it was Kartik Tyagi who broke the stand as Head holed out to compatriot Cameron Green.
Blessing Muzarabani opened his IPL account with a twin strike in the ninth over to pull the strings. He dismissed Ishan Kishan and Abhishek in the same over to turn the game into KKR's head. Anukul Roy dismissed Aniket Verma to put KKR into driver's seat.
Match-deciding partnership
Walking in after a dramatic middle-over slide from being 110/1 in eight overs to 118/4 in 9.2 overs, Heinrich Klaasen rebuilt the innings with calm assurance, ensuring the run rate never dipped out of control.
Even as boundaries dried up, the seasoned South African smartly rotated strike and ran hard between the wickets, keeping SRH around the 11-run mark alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy (39) in a match-deciding 82 runs alliance off 53 balls. The duo put on 50 run together in just 36 balls.
Although Muzarabani finished with 4/41 but it was Klaasen's composed 52 off 35 balls that held Sunrisers Hyderabad's innings together as they posted a competitive 226/8.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi, KKR's lone bright light
In reply, KKR went off to a flier with Finn Allen smashing 25 runs off David Payne in the first over. But once he fell to Harsh Dubey giving a return catch, the innings unravelled quickly. KKR's veteran skipper Ajinkya Rahane's painful eight off 10 balls once again raised questions over the team's bold leadership call, while partnerships failed to materialise.
Youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi showed promised with a breezy 52 (29 balls; 6x4, 2x6) but there was no support from the other end. Chasing the daunting target, KKR never found momentum as they were bundled out for 161 and slumped to their second successive defeat.
Vice-captain Rinku Singh offered brief resistance with a 35 off 25 balls, but his dismissal to Reddy ended any lingering hopes.
IPL 2026 points table after KKR vs SRH
With this win, KKR went down to languish at the ninth spot while SRH jumped upwards to sixth. Rajasthan Royals are leading the table, followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NR | Points | NRR |
| Rajasthan Royals | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +4.171 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2.907 |
| Delhi Capitals | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1.397 |
| Mumbai Indians | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.687 |
| Punjab Kings | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.509 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.469 |
| Gujarat Titans | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.509 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1.397 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -1.964 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -4.171 |
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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