Varun Chakaravarthy's 3 for 36 triggers SRH collapse as KKR keep playoff hopes alive with seven-wicket win

Key facts

• KKR beat SRH by 7 wickets in Match 45 of IPL 2026 in Hyderabad on May 3.
• SRH bowled out for 165 in 19 overs after being 105/1 in the 9th over.
• Travis Head scored 61 off 28 balls (9 fours, 3 sixes); Ishan Kishan made 42 off 29.
• Varun Chakaravarthy took 3 for 36; Sunil Narine took 2 for 31 and reached 200 IPL wickets.
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored 59 off 47 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) for KKR.
• KKR chased 166 in 18.2 overs, winning with 10 balls to spare.
• SRH remain 3rd with 12 points; KKR move to 5 points and 8th place.

A match that turned on a dime

The Kolkata Knight Riders pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets on Sunday, a result that keeps their flickering playoff hopes alive. In a match that appeared to be slipping away during the first innings, KKR's spinners engineered a spectacular collapse, turning a certain 200-plus total into a modest 165 all out. Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat on a dry afternoon pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. The decision seemed vindicated as Travis Head launched a brutal assault on the KKR pace attack, racing to 61 off just 28 balls with nine fours and three sixes.

The collapse that broke SRH's backbone

At 105 for 1 in the ninth over, SRH were cruising towards a total well beyond 200. Then Varun Chakaravarthy struck, removing Head and triggering a catastrophic slide. The hosts lost nine wickets for just 60 runs, a collapse that exposed the fragility of their middle order. Chakaravarthy finished with 3 for 36, exploiting the tacky surface with his variations, while Sunil Narine applied a suffocating squeeze from the other end, taking 2 for 31. Kartik Tyagi cleaned up the tail with 2 for 30, bowling SRH out in exactly 19 overs — the first time this season KKR had bowled out an opposition and the first time SRH lost all ten wickets in an innings.

Raghuvanshi anchors the chase

Chasing 166, KKR needed a solid start and got it from Finn Allen, who smashed 29 off 13 balls before falling in the Powerplay. Captain Ajinkya Rahane then played a measured 43 off 36, but it was 20-year-old Angkrish Raghuvanshi who provided the anchor. Raghuvanshi remained unbeaten on 59 off 47 deliveries, striking five boundaries and two sixes. His composure ensured the required rate never climbed, and after his dismissal — caught off Shivang Kumar — Rinku Singh finished the job with an unbeaten 22 off 11 balls, sealing the win with 1.4 overs to spare.

Narine's double-century milestone

During his spell, Sunil Narine reached 200 wickets in the IPL, becoming one of only a handful of overseas bowlers to achieve the feat. The veteran off-spinner has been a mainstay for KKR since the tournament's early years, and his milestone came in a match where his control was instrumental in strangling SRH's run flow. Varun Chakaravarthy was named Player of the Match for his 3 for 36, which initiated the middle-order collapse and completely derailed SRH's momentum.

Playoff implications and what lies ahead

The victory was a must-win for KKR, who entered the match in eighth place with just five points. The win gives them a lifeline, but they will need to treat every remaining game as a knockout to have any chance of reaching the playoffs. For SRH, the defeat snaps a five-match winning streak, but they remain comfortably placed third on the points table with 12 points. Captain Pat Cummins and his team will view the middle-order collapse as a wake-up call ahead of the business end of the tournament.

The bottom line

• Varun Chakaravarthy's 3 for 36 triggered a SRH collapse from 105/1 to 165 all out.
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi's unbeaten 59 anchored KKR's chase of 166.
• Sunil Narine reached 200 IPL wickets during his spell of 2 for 31.
• KKR snapped SRH's five-match winning streak and kept their playoff hopes alive.
• SRH lost all 10 wickets for the first time this season; KKR bowled out an opposition for the first time in IPL 2026.
• KKR moved to 5 points (8th); SRH remain 3rd with 12 points.