His 35-ball 52 helps them beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs
Kolkata: Heinrich Klaasen’s composed half-century steered Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to a commanding 65-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their IPL clash on Thursday.
Opting to bowl, KKR allowed SRH to post a formidable 226/8, built around Klaasen’s 52 off 35 balls. The South African anchored the innings after a mid-innings wobble, adding 82 runs for the fifth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy (39 off 24).
SRH’s explosive start was set by Travis Head (46 off 21) and Abhishek Sharma (48 off 21), who put on 82 runs in just 34 deliveries. However, Blessing Muzarabani (4/41) triggered a collapse with key strikes, reducing SRH to a precarious position before Klaasen stabilised the innings. Vaibhav Arora picked up two late wickets to check the scoring.
In reply, KKR faltered in the chase and were bowled out for 161 in 16 overs, suffering their second straight defeat. Finn Allen provided early impetus with a 28 off seven balls, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi top-scored with 52 off 29 deliveries. However, lack of partnerships and repeated run-out mix-ups hurt KKR’s cause.
Cameron Green endured another failure, run out for two, while skipper Ajinkya Rahane managed just eight. Rinku Singh’s 35 offered brief resistance but lacked support.
SRH’s bowling unit delivered collectively, with Jaydev Unadkat (3/21) leading the attack. Ehsan Malinga (2/14) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/17) chipped in effectively as KKR’s strong batting lineup failed to fire.
