Heinrich Klassen (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)
NEW DELHI: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) finally found their rhythm in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but it took an inconsequential fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for them to reach peak performance — proving to be too late in the season. SRH defeated KKR by a massive 110 runs.The Pat Cummins-led side began IPL 2025 with a run-fest, posting 286 in their opening match against Rajasthan Royals. It seemed only a matter of time before SRH would cross the 300-run mark in the IPL. However, as the season progressed, last year’s runners-up failed to maintain that sizzle.On Sunday evening, in a dead rubber, they finally found their groove. The half-filled Arun Jaitley Stadium was treated to a spectacle. The blitzkrieg, led by Heinrich Klaasen (105 off 39 balls; 7×4, 9×6) and Travis Head (76 off 40 balls; 6×4, 6×6), propelled SRH to a formidable 278 for 3 after captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat against KKR.
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Do you believe Heinrich Klaasen can maintain this form for the rest of the season?
Chasing a mammoth total, KKR batters looked in a hurry to catch their flights and head home. KKR were bowled out for 168 runs in 18.4 overs.HEAD AND ABHISHEK SET THE TONELast season, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma forged one of the most dangerous opening combinations in the IPL. Their style of play set a precedent for teams, be it in leagues or at the international level. They came into this season with high expectations. Barring one 171-run stand against Punjab Kings, they had been inconsistent.In particular, Head, who had an abysmal season, teed off with a six off Anrich Nortje. He continued the onslaught in the third over against Vaibhav Arora, plundering 19 runs from the over. He saved his best for Harshit Rana, welcoming him with three boundaries. Abhishek joined the act with a couple of well-timed shots to collect back-to-back boundaries off Nortje.SRH openers went hammer and tongs in the first six overs, scoring 79 runs. Just when it looked like Abhishek had found his range after hitting a couple of massive sixes against Sunil Narine, the veteran had the last laugh, breaking the 92-run opening stand.FIERY KLASSENHeinrich Klaasen finally showed why SRH paid such a handsome sum to retain him ahead of the auction. At the innings break, Klaasen, whom Sunrisers retained for a whopping Rs 23 crore, admitted it had been a disappointing season. “It’s been a long season of disappointment. Luckily, I stuck to my processes and found my form now. The franchise spent a lot of time and money to play this brand of cricket, and it was up to us to step up to the mantle,” he told the broadcasters.SRH promoted Klaasen to number three, and the decision paid off handsomely as Klaasen immediately found his rhythm, joining Travis Head in a relentless assault on the KKR bowlers. Head, who was given a lifeline on 54, capitalised on the reprieve, adding another 22 runs before eventually being dismissed.Klaasen, however, was in a league of his own, playing a flawless innings. He blazed to a fifty in just 16 balls and continued to dispatch boundaries at will, reaching a magnificent century off only 37 deliveries.Where most batters shuffle towards the leg side to manufacture room for the fluent swing of the blade, Heinrich Klaasen uses his forearms to stunning effect. It’s what makes him a fearsome hitter against spin, as he showed in New Delhi.The KKR spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine felt the ruthless brunt of his lashing blade. Six of his nine sixes came off Narine and Chakaravarthy’s bowling. Such was Klaasen’s domination that Varun Chakaravarthy didn’t even bowl his full quota of four overs after giving away 54 runs in 3 overs.Vaibhav Arora was the pick of the bowlers amidst all the carnage. He finished with figures of 1/39 from his four overs. Sunil Narine picked up two wickets but conceded 42 runs.DISMAL BATTING SHOW BY KKRIn stark contrast to SRH’s batting fireworks, KKR’s innings was a struggle, with only Sunil Narine managing to play with any semblance of freedom. The SRH bowlers brilliantly complemented their batters’ efforts, making it a truly painstaking chase for KKR.If not for some lusty blows down the order by Manish Pandey (37 off 23 balls; 2×4, 3×6) and Harshit Rana (34 off 21 balls; 2×4, 3×6), KKR could have been bowled out more cheaply. The duo put on 52 runs for the eighth wicket.For SRH, Jaydev Unadkat (3/24), Ehsan Malinga (3/31), and Harsh Dubey (3/34) shared nine wickets among them.Brief ScoresSunrisers Hyderabad: 278 for 3 after 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 105 not out, Travis Head 76; Sunil Narine 2/42)Kolkata Knight Riders: 168 all out in 18.3 overs (Manish Pandey 37; Jaydev Unadkat 3/24, Ehsan Malinga 3/31)
