Winning the toss and electing to bat first, SRH put on a spectacular display, scoring 278 runs for the loss of only three wickets in 20 overs. This is the third-highest team score in IPL history. Chasing the target, KKR appeared under pressure and were bowled out for 168 runs in 18.4 overs.
Sports News: The final league match of IPL 2025 was played on Sunday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by a resounding 110 runs, bowing out of the tournament with a flourish. With this emphatic victory, Hyderabad finished sixth in the standings with a total of six wins in the season, while Kolkata ended in eighth place. This win became the biggest moment of the season for SRH and also proved to be their second-largest victory in IPL history.
Hyderabad's Explosive Batting
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Sunrisers Hyderabad thrashed Kolkata's bowlers, smashing 278 runs for just three wickets in 20 overs. This was the third-highest score in IPL history. Earlier in the season, SRH had scored 286 runs against Rajasthan Royals.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen played the biggest role for the team, scoring a magnificent century off just 37 balls and remaining unbeaten on 105 runs. His innings included 7 fours and 9 sixes. Klaasen achieved the distinction of becoming the third-fastest centurion in IPL history, equaling Yusuf Pathan's record set in 2010.
Earlier, the opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head gave Hyderabad an aggressive start. The duo put on a 92-run partnership for the first wicket. Abhishek scored 32 runs (4 fours, 2 sixes) off just 16 balls. Travis Head maintained his form, smashing 76 runs (6 fours, 6 sixes) off 40 balls, reaching his half-century in 26 balls.
Sunil Narine led the bowling attack for Kolkata, taking two wickets – those of Abhishek and Travis Head. Vaibhav Arora also claimed a wicket.
Kolkata's Innings: Wickets Falling Regularly
Chasing a massive target of 278 runs, Kolkata's innings started poorly. The run rate never picked up, and wickets fell at regular intervals. The entire team was bowled out for 168 runs in 18.4 overs. Manish Pandey top-scored for Kolkata with 37 runs, while Harshit Rana scored 34 and Sunil Narine contributed 31. Other batsmen failed to make significant contributions. Veterans like Quinton de Kock (9), Ajinkya Rahane (15), Rinku Singh (9), and Andre Russell (0) could not perform well.
In the lower order, Ramandeep Singh scored 13 runs, while Vaibhav Arora and Enrique Nortje remained unbeaten on zero. SRH's bowlers delivered one of their best bowling performances of the season. Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Malinga, and Harsh Dubey bowled with excellent line and length, taking three wickets each and dismantling Kolkata's batting lineup, preventing any significant partnerships.
The fast bowlers, particularly in the middle overs, quickly dismissed big hitters like Russell and Rinku, ending Kolkata's hopes of a comeback. This victory was SRH's second-largest win in their history. Previously, they defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 118 runs in 2019. The 110-run margin became one of the largest wins for any team in IPL 2025.
With this win, Hyderabad earned 12 points from 6 wins in 14 matches and finished sixth in the points table. Meanwhile, the defending champions Kolkata managed only 5 wins in 14 matches, finishing eighth with 12 points.
