IPL 2025: Arora, Chakravarthy, Iyer Lead Kolkata to 80-Run Victory Over Hyderabad
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Synopsis
In a thrilling IPL encounter, Kolkata Knight Riders triumphed over Sunrisers Hyderabad by 80 runs, thanks to stellar performances from Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, and Venkatesh Iyer at Eden Gardens on April 3, 2025.
Key Takeaways
- Kolkata Knight Riders achieved their first home win of the season.
- Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakravarthy dominated with the ball.
- Venkatesh Iyer's explosive batting was crucial for KKR's high score.
- Sunil Narine celebrated his 200th wicket milestone.
- SRH struggled with early wickets and could not recover.
Kolkata, April 3 (NationPress) Fast bowler Vaibhav Arora (3-29) and spinner Varun Chakravarthy (3-22) were instrumental with the ball while Venkatesh Iyer excelled with the bat, leading the Kolkata Knight Riders to an emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad by 80 runs in Match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.
A dominant batting performance, complemented by a precise bowling display, enabled KKR to secure their first home triumph of the season, elevating them to fifth position in the points standings.
After opting to bat first, KKR managed to recover from early difficulties to set a formidable score of 200/6. The innings was underpinned by Ajinkya Rahane (38 off 27) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (50 off 32), who steadied the ship following the quick dismissals of Quinton de Kock (1) and Sunil Narine (7).
The tide turned dramatically when Venkatesh Iyer (60 off 29) and Rinku Singh (32 not out off 17) launched a late-innings barrage. Their explosive contributions enabled KKR to add 78 runs in the final five overs, setting a new benchmark for the highest total of IPL 2025 to date. Notably, Moeen Ali did not get a chance to bat despite being included in the playing XI.
For SRH, Zeeshan Ansari and Kamindu Mendis provided a brief revival in the middle overs with key breakthroughs, dismissing Rahane and Raghuvanshi. However, the SRH bowlers faltered at the death, with Pat Cummins, Simarjeet Singh, and Harshal Patel suffering as KKR ramped up the scoring.
Defending a challenging target, KKR’s bowlers came out firing. SRH endured a disastrous start, losing Travis Head for just four runs to Arora on the second ball of the chase. Harshit Rana followed up with an excellent over, sending Abhishek Sharma back with a clever slower ball. SRH’s aggressive left-handed trio was dismissed within the first three overs, leaving them in dire straits at 9/3.
Arora continued to shine, wrapping up with figures of 4-1-29-3, claiming Heinrich Klaasen with a perfectly timed slower bouncer in a tense moment. Sunil Narine, celebrating his 200th wicket for KKR, bowled an economical spell, although he missed out on a wicket due to an unnoticed edge.
Chakravarthy (3-22) was lethal in the middle overs, claiming two wickets in the 16th over, including the coveted wicket of Pat Cummins. Andre Russell (2-20) polished off the tail with an impressive caught-and-bowled effort as SRH crumbled to 120 all out in just 17 overs.
KKR’s middle order found its rhythm, with contributions from Rahane, Raghuvanshi, Iyer, and Rinku Singh. Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakravarthy led a formidable bowling unit that dismantled the SRH lineup. Sunil Narine reached the milestone of 200 wickets for KKR, further solidifying his legacy.
Brief scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 200/6 in 20 overs (Venkatesh Iyer 60, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 50; Mohammed Shami 1-29, Zeeshan Ansari 1-25) defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad 120 all out in 16.4 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 33, Kamindu Mendis 27; Varun Chakravarthy 3-22, Vaibhav Arora 3-29) by 80 runs.
