Varun Chakaravarthy's spin magic ends Sunrisers' five-match winning streak as KKR keep playoff hopes alive

Key facts

• KKR won by 7 wickets with 1.4 overs to spare.
• Varun Chakaravarthy took 3 for 36, earning Player of the Match.
• Sunil Narine reached 200 IPL wickets during his spell of 2 for 31.
• SRH collapsed from 105/1 to 165 all out, losing 9 wickets for 60 runs.
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi anchored the chase with an unbeaten 59 off 47 balls.
• This was the first time in IPL 2026 that SRH lost all 10 wickets in an innings.
• KKR moved to 5 points, still 8th, while SRH remain 3rd with 12 points.

A comeback that rewrites the playoff equation

The Kolkata Knight Riders, desperate for a win to keep their postseason ambitions alive, produced a stunning turnaround at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday. After being outplayed in the first half of the innings, KKR triggered a catastrophic collapse in the Sunrisers Hyderabad batting order, bowling them out for 165 — the first time this season the Sunrisers have lost all ten wickets. Chasing 166, an anchoring half-century from the young Angkrish Raghuvanshi guided the visitors to a seven-wicket victory with 1.4 overs to spare, snapping SRH's five-match winning streak. The result reshapes the playoff picture. KKR entered the match languishing in 8th place with just 5 points from nine games; this victory gives them a lifeline, but they must treat every remaining fixture as a knockout. SRH, despite the defeat, remain comfortably in 3rd position with 12 points, though the manner of the collapse will serve as a wake-up call for Pat Cummins' side as the tournament enters its business end.

Head and Kishan set the platform before the spin implosion

SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first on a dry afternoon surface in Uppal. The decision appeared vindicated early, even after Abhishek Sharma fell for 15 off 10 balls. Travis Head immediately took the attack to the KKR pace bowlers, smashing a blistering 61 off just 28 deliveries, an innings that included 9 fours and 3 sixes. He found excellent support from Ishan Kishan, who contributed a solid 42 off 29 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. At 105 for 1 in the 9th over, the hosts were cruising and seemed destined for a total well beyond 200. The momentum, however, shifted abruptly when KKR introduced their spin duo. Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy exploited the tacky afternoon pitch to devastating effect, finishing with figures of 3 for 36. From the other end, veteran Sunil Narine applied a relentless squeeze, taking 2 for 31 while also reaching the monumental milestone of 200 IPL wickets, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest overseas bowlers in tournament history. The fielding energy from KKR spiked simultaneously, highlighted by a breathtaking one-handed catch from Rovman Powell in the outfield. Following the dismissals of Head and Kishan, SRH suffered a catastrophic collapse, losing 9 wickets for just 60 runs. Kartik Tyagi (2 for 30) cleaned up the tail, bowling out SRH for 165 in exactly 19 overs.

Raghuvanshi and Rahane steer the chase with composure

Defending 165, SRH needed early breakthroughs to put pressure on KKR. However, opener Finn Allen immediately put the hosts on the back foot, blazing his way to a rapid 29 off just 13 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes in the Powerplay before falling. Following the aggressive start, captain Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi constructed a highly composed partnership that safely navigated the chase. Rahane played a measured knock of 43 off 36 deliveries before being dismissed by young Sakib Hussain (1 for 17). Raghuvanshi, however, proved to be the absolute anchor for KKR. The youngster registered a flawless 59 off 47 deliveries, striking 5 boundaries and 2 maximums to ensure the required run rate never escalated. Although Shivang Kumar (1 for 31) eventually removed Raghuvanshi, the platform was perfectly laid. Rinku Singh walked in and provided the finishing touches, smoking an unbeaten 22 off 11 balls (2 fours, 1 six) alongside Cameron Green (3*) to seal the chase at 169 for 3 in 18.2 overs.

Milestones and firsts mark a turning-point contest

The match produced several notable statistical landmarks. Sunil Narine's two wickets took him to 200 in the IPL, making him only the second overseas bowler after Dwayne Bravo to reach that mark. For SRH, this was the first time in IPL 2026 that they lost all ten wickets in an innings, and the first time this season that KKR managed to bowl out an opposition team. The collapse — losing 9 wickets for 60 runs — was the most dramatic of the tournament so far. Varun Chakaravarthy's 3 for 36 earned him the Player of the Match award, rightly recognized for initiating the middle-order collapse that derailed SRH's momentum. The match also saw the debut of Smaran for SRH, though the youngster did not have a significant impact.

Playoff stakes and the road ahead

For KKR, the victory is a massive lifeline. Sitting 8th with 5 points, they now need to ride this momentum and treat every upcoming game as a knockout. The win avenged their loss to SRH at Eden Gardens last month and demonstrated that their spin attack can be decisive on helpful surfaces. For SRH, the defeat snaps a brilliant five-match winning streak but does not derail their campaign. Pat Cummins and his side will look at the middle-order collapse as a wake-up call to address before the business end of the tournament. The result also tightens the playoff race in the middle of the table, with KKR now within striking distance of the top four if they can string together wins. The Sunrisers, meanwhile, will need to ensure their batting depth can handle quality spin bowling on slow pitches — a challenge that will only intensify as the tournament progresses.

The bottom line

• Varun Chakaravarthy's 3/36 triggered a SRH collapse from 105/1 to 165 all out, the first time SRH lost all 10 wickets this season.
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi's unbeaten 59 anchored KKR's chase, supported by Ajinkya Rahane's 43.
• Sunil Narine reached 200 IPL wickets during his spell of 2/31.
• KKR snapped SRH's five-match winning streak and kept their playoff hopes alive, moving to 5 points.
• SRH remain 3rd with 12 points but must address their vulnerability against spin in the middle overs.
• The match was played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, on May 3, 2026.