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In the 45th match of IPL 2026, Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to extend their dominant run when they face Kolkata Knight Riders in the afternoon fixture of the Sunday double-header.

SRH vs KKR match preview

SRH have been in sensational form and looking almost unstoppable with the bat. They are currently chasing their sixth consecutive win and have dominated opposition attacks with fearless intent and aggressive stroke play.

The return of their skipper, Pat Cummins, has clearly strengthened the bowling unit, while the batting has been firing in full flow. The opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head has been explosive, giving SRH flying starts almost every game.

On the other hand, KKR are still trying to keep their campaign alive after a poor run. They have shown some signs of recovery recently with back-to-back wins, including a dramatic Super Over victory against Lucknow Super Giants in their previous outing.

However, consistency remains their biggest concern. Led by Ajinkya Rahane, KKR’s bowling unit has started to click at the right time, especially the spin department, which is finally making an impact. But the batting line-up continues to struggle for stability. Apart from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, no batter has consistently stepped up, which puts extra pressure on the middle order.

With the playoff race heating up, this becomes a must-win encounter for KKR. A defeat won’t officially eliminate them, but it could severely damage their qualification hopes.

SRH vs KKR head-to-head record

Matches Played: 31
Sunrisers Hyderabad won: 11
Kolkata Knight Riders won: 20

SRH vs KKR key players to watch

Travis Head - The explosive Australian batter has been in destructive touch, smashing 76 runs in his last outing against the Mumbai Indians, which became major cricket news. When he gets going, he can take the game away within a few overs.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi - The young right-hander has been KKR’s most reliable batter this season and remains their biggest hope to steady the innings under pressure.

Eshan Malinga - A crucial part of SRH’s bowling attack, he has picked up 15 wickets and has been particularly effective in the middle and death overs.

Sunil Narine - The veteran all-rounder continues to be the backbone of KKR, contributing with both bat and ball whenever the team needs him most.

SRH vs KKR playing XI

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (c), Harsh Dubey, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga

Impact Player: Aniket Verma

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Tim Seifert (wk), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi

Impact Player: Varun Chakravarthy

SRH vs KKR match prediction

Hyderabad have been a dominant force at their home ground, winning matches comfortably. Their top order is in devastating form, and the return of Pat Cummins has further strengthened their bowling attack. The mix of experience and young talent has worked perfectly for them this season.

KKR, despite recent wins, still look unsettled. Their batting inconsistency and injury concerns have hurt their campaign at crucial moments, making it difficult to build momentum.

Considering current form and home advantage, SRH start as clear favourites.

Prediction: Sunrisers Hyderabad to win the match.