Heinrich Klaasen delivered an exceptional performance to the Delhi audience, scoring a remarkable century off just 37 balls, as Sunrisers Hyderabad concluded their disappointing season with a significant victory against the 2024 champions, Kolkata Knight Riders. Klaasen struck seven fours and nine sixes, achieving an explosive unbeaten 105, while SRH recorded the third highest total in IPL history at 278, which they successfully defended.
SRH score yet another record breaking total
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma initiated the opening act before the Klassen Show dominated the subsequent two phases. The pair ignited the onslaught in the second over bowled by Anrich Nortje, scoring 20 runs off it. Head then targeted Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana, propelling SRH to 55 runs in merely four overs. In the fifth over, Abhishek sought to match his opening partner’s pace, striking Nortje for two fours, but Head further extended the lead by concluding the PowerPlay with a six and a four in a 13-run sixth over.
The KKR bowlers truly experienced the pressure of confronting a batting lineup like SRH in an uneven venue such as Delhi during this exhilarating phase of play. Abhishek launched two consecutive sixes but was dismissed on the following ball by Sunil Narine in the seventh over, elevating the West Indian’s wicket tally in the format to 209 – the highest in men’s cricket. SRH unleashed Klaasen against one of KKR’s significant strengths – their spinners, and emerged significantly ahead. Initially, Klaasen observed as Head relentlessly attacked almost every delivery, reaching a 26-ball half-century – his third of the season. However, in the same over from Varun CV, Klaasen struck the first of his nine sixes – marking his 300th in the format.
After allowing 16 runs in his first over, Varun CV conceded 20 in his subsequent over as both Head and Klaasen maintained their assault against spin. Head commenced with a six, while Klaasen executed a hat-trick of fours, propelling SRH to an astonishing 139/1 at the halfway mark. Ajinkya Rahane searched in vain for bowling alternatives but failed to find one capable of curbing the scoring. Andre Russell was greeted with a 17-run over, and Harshit Rana returned to yield 22 runs as Klaasen attacked him with a four and two sixes, reaching his fifty in just 17 balls. Narine provided his team with a moment of respite in the 13th over, conceding only one run and dismissing Head. Nevertheless, Klaasen compensated for the brief six-ball pause by hammering Narine for two sixes in his next over, propelling SRH past 200 with 32 balls remaining.
Ishan Kishan managed to slow down SRH slightly, yet Klaasen remained on track for a record century. He ultimately achieved this milestone off 37 balls, tying for the third-fastest with Yusuf Pathan. Kishan also contributed to SRH’s growing total of fours and sixes before being dismissed by Arora in the penultimate over, scoring 29 runs off 20 balls. Arora’s seven-run over was the only one during the death overs where SRH recorded single-digit scores, as the Klaasen onslaught continued into the final overs. He once again punished Varun with two sixes and took on both Russell and Nortje. SRH concluded their remarkable innings with a score of 278/3, which included 22 fours and 19 sixes.
KKR's season ends on a poignant note
Gazing at a daunting target of runs to achieve, Sunil Narine commenced his innings with three sixes and two fours across two overs bowled by Pat Cummins. However, Jaydev Unadkat managed to dismiss him with an off-cutter that the West Indian misread. Consequently, KKR became only the third team in the tournament’s history to finish an entire season without an opening partnership exceeding 50 runs. The KKR bowlers did not rely on variations in pace, but this strategy proved beneficial in the second innings, as demonstrated repeatedly by Unadkat throughout the match. Ajinkya Rahane entered the fray aggressively, maintaining KKR’s scoring rate at 10 runs per over, but Unadkat curtailed his efforts in the sixth over with another cutter, resulting in the KKR captain miscuing a powerful shot that was caught at cover.
Eshan Malinga ended Quinton de Kock’s struggles in the middle order by dismissing him in the seventh over. KKR quickly found themselves at 70/5 by the eighth over, as left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey took two wickets in consecutive deliveries. Rinku Singh hit a low full-toss directly into the hands of Nitish Reddy at deep square leg, while Andre Russell was deceived by drift and turn, leading to his dismissal leg before wicket. Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Manish Pandey managed to elevate the chasing side to 81/5 at the halfway point, but Malinga returned in the 12th over to break that partnership. He also employed a change of pace, resulting in Raghuvanshi miscuing his shot to deep square leg. Dubey claimed his third wicket by cleaning up Ramandeep Singh in the 14th over, leaving KKR at seven down and on the brink of a significant defeat.
The required run rate was monumental, yet Manish Pandey tackled it head-on, hitting three sixes off Malinga in a 21-run over. He and Rana combined for 52 runs off just 22 balls before Unadkat ended the partnership by taking Pandey’s wicket. A switch to a drier ball prior to the over appeared to be effective, as Unadkat delivered another slower ball that resulted in a wicket. Arora was then run out on the subsequent delivery, failing to ground his bat, likely not anticipating Unadkat’s attempt at the stumps at his end. Malinga subsequently dismissed Harshit in the final over, securing a 110-run victory.
SCORECARD: Sunrisers Hyderabad 278/3 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 105*, Travis Head 76; Sunil Narine 2-42) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 168 in 18.4 overs (Manish Pandey 37; Jaydev Unadkat 3-24, Eshan Malinga 3-31, Harsh Dubey 3-34) by 110 runs
