Sunil Narine’s spell of 2 for 31 and Varun Chakravarthy’s 3 for 36 swung the contest decisively in Kolkata Knight Riders’ favour, finishing with bowling figures that read 8-0-67-5. The result felt like a done deal for KKR against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and it came at a vital moment for the two-time champions. With the win, Kolkata have now strung together three victories, reversing the damage of earlier struggles in IPL 2026 that included five losses and a washout.
Quick facts
- Sunil Narine: 2/31
- Varun Chakravarthy: 3/36
- Combined bowling: 8-0-67-5
- KKR’s run: three straight wins after five losses (plus a washout) in IPL 2026
- Narine conceded 20 in two powerplay overs, then 11 in the 10th and 16th overs
In Hyderabad, Narine kept the pressure on from the opening phase. He gave away 20 runs across his two powerplay overs, then tightened the screws later, conceding just 11 across the tenth and sixteenth overs. It was the kind of control that limits batting plans, forcing batters to take risks at the wrong times.
Chakravarthy’s day began with a shaky start, but he steadily found his rhythm. He was introduced after the powerplay and was hit for 13 runs, with Travis Head doing most of the damage. Even so, Chakravarthy struck in the ninth over to remove Head, only for him to concede 16 runs overall in that spell.
From there, the match shifted again. In the 12th over, Chakravarthy removed R Smaran and conceded just four runs. He then got Aniket Verma in his next major push, allowing only four more in his final over of the innings—the 14th—before the KKR bowlers brought everything under control.
Ambati Rayudu highlighted how Chakravarthy managed his pace as the innings progressed. On ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, he said Varun opened at a slightly quicker tempo, then slowed down through the middle overs once he was targeted. Rayudu added that Chakravarthy’s improved use of the crease, along with his angles and pace variation, makes him difficult to face—especially when he bowls slowly on a wicket that offers grip.
That improvement is particularly significant given Chakravarthy’s earlier struggles in the same season. He began the tournament with figures of 0 for 48 and 0 for 31, and then his rhythm was interrupted by a hand injury. When he returned, the numbers started to swing: in the last four games he has taken 10 wickets for 117 runs, giving KKR exactly the wicket-taking edge they need in T20 cricket.
KKR’s spinners, especially Narine and Chakravarthy, have consistently been a major part of the team’s balance. Hyderabad learned the hard way on Sunday, as the KKR attack was able to generate breakthroughs without losing its grip on the scoring rate.
Vettori on the plan
After the match, SRH coach Daniel Vettori broke down what his side attempted and where it slipped. He said the spinners were finding a good length, and Chakravarthy continued to take wickets even after SRH placed him under pressure early on. In T20s and the IPL, Vettori stressed that wickets are the biggest currency, and that KKR managed to keep earning them throughout.
Vettori also pointed out that the two KKR spinners are world-class and have built their careers on success in this format. He felt the wicket held up as the ball aged, and suggested it was more about the ball becoming softer over time than any big advantage from the pitch itself. SRH, he said, had tried to survive the middle overs and set things up for the finish once the spinners had completed their quota.
However, the plan was undermined by dismissals at crucial moments. Vettori noted that SRH lost wickets in a manner that prevented them from getting through that key phase, which in the end kept them from building the momentum they needed for the closing overs.
Earlier in the campaign, there had already been a concern around Chakravarthy’s form after a poor T20 World Cup. On TimeOut, Piyush Chawla and Rayudu discussed how “desperation” to take wickets was forcing Varun to look for magic balls. They felt he was bowling faster without putting enough revs on the ball, which made it harder for him to execute his usual skills.
Those doubts appear to be behind him now, at least in terms of performance. The comeback may arrive with limited time to mount a playoff push, but if Chakravarthy continues to deliver alongside Narine’s trademark stinginess, KKR have a realistic chance of turning late-season momentum into something bigger.
