IPL 2026: Unadkat's 3-21 Guides SRH to 65-Run Victory Over KKR
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Kolkata, April 2 (NationPress) Left-arm fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat showcased his talent with remarkable figures of 3-21 as Sunrisers Hyderabad executed a stellar bowling display to overwhelm Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs, achieving their inaugural win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at Eden Gardens on Thursday.
After SRH set a formidable total of 226/8, the highest of the tournament thus far, Unadkat’s exceptional performance stood out. He received solid backing from Eshan Malinga, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harsh Dubey, who consistently applied pressure, resulting in KKR being bowled out for only 161 in 16 overs.
This triumph was not only significant for earning SRH their first two points but also marked the first successful defense of a total in the current edition of the tournament. Except for Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 52, KKR struggled against the disciplined SRH bowling attack, effectively utilizing slower deliveries, which thwarted their chase.
KKR began their innings with a bang as Finn Allen struck 28 runs off just seven deliveries, including four boundaries and two sixes in the opening over bowled by David Payne. However, Dubey made a pivotal contribution by dismissing Allen with a sharp caught and bowled.
Ajinkya Rahane and Raghuvanshi built a solid partnership, adding 37 runs for the second wicket, with the latter displaying exquisite stroke play. Yet, SRH quickly retaliated as Unadkat claimed Rahane with a slower delivery, leading to a mid-wicket catch, while Cameron Green was run out on the final ball of the sixth over, leaving KKR at 74/3.
Continuing his aggressive approach, Raghuvanshi registered his second consecutive fifty in just 27 balls before being run out for 52 in the 11th over. Nitish, maintaining precise lines, took out Anukul Roy and Rinku Singh in rapid succession, further derailing KKR's hopes.
Though Sunil Narine attempted a brief fightback with two sixes in his 12-run cameo, Malinga sent him and Ramandeep Singh packing in successive overs. Unadkat returned to clean up the tail, dismissing Kartik Tyagi and Varun Chakaravarthy to finish with exceptional figures of 3-21 as SRH celebrated their first win of the season.
Brief scores:
Sunrisers Hyderabad 226/8 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 52, Abhishek Sharma 48; Blessing Muzarabani 4-41, Vaibhav Arora 2-47) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 161 in 16 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 52, Rinku Singh 35; Jaydev Unadkat 3-21, Eshan Malinga 2-14) by 65 runs