Sunrisers Hyderabad, the most in-form team in IPL 2026, host Kolkata Knight Riders at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad in the early fixture on Sunday, May 3. The Knights are attempting a late season turnaround after going winless in their first six games, but arrive here on the back of two wins on the bounce.
SRH enter the contest having strung together five back-to-back victories to surge into the top three. Their campaign has gathered pace through consistent top-order returns and a settled bowling unit.
Their last outing underlined their batting depth as they completed a record-chase at the Wankhede, chasing down 244 against Mumbai Indians in just 18.4 overs. Travis Head set the tone with a 30-ball 76, while Heinrich Klaasen finished the job with an unbeaten 65 off 30 deliveries.
KKR, meanwhile, edged a tense contest against Lucknow Super Giants which went down to a ‘Super Over'. After being reduced to 73/6, they were rescued by Rinku Singh's unbeaten 83 off 51 balls to post 155. Mohammed Shami's final ball six pushed the game into a Super Over, where Sunil Narine got rid of both Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram to restrict LSG to just one run, sealing a crucial win.
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Both these sides met earlier this season at the Eden Gardens, in what turned out to be a one-sided affair. SRH posted 226/8 batting first, with Klaasen (52), Abhishek Sharma (48), and Travis Head (46) leading the charge. KKR failed to mount a sustained chase and were restricted to 161, with Hyderabad winning by 65 runs.
SRH have since been further strengthened by Pat Cummins' return, with the captain adding control to the attack. Their batting unit remains fully fit, with Abhishek Sharma emerging as one of the standout performers this season with 425 runs.
KKR's primary concern continues to be their inconsistent top order, placing added responsibility on the middle order. Varun Chakravarthy's return to form provides balance to the bowling attack, while a decision on Mateesha Pathirana is expected closer to the match based on conditions.
Players To Watch
Abhishek Sharma (SRH): With 425 runs this season, Abhishek has been central to Hyderabad's aggressive starts. The SRH opener is second in the race for the ‘Orange Cap' and comes into this game on the back of an explosive 45 off 24 balls against MI.
Rinku Singh (KKR): Rinku's unbeaten 83 in the last game highlighted his role as KKR's crisis man. His knock follows an unbeaten 53 against Rajasthan Royals which helped KKR register their first win of the campaign.
Match Venue and Time
The SRH vs KKR match is scheduled to be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad, from 3:30 PM IST on Sunday, May 3.
Predicted Playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Pat Cummins (c), Harsh Dubey, Eshan Malinga, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Tim Seifert (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Cameron Green, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Sunil Narine, Rovman Powell, Varun Chakravarthy, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora.
Weather Report
Conditions are expected to be extremely hot, with temperatures ranging between 37°C and 40°C. Humidity will remain low, and there is no forecast for rain interruptions.
Pitch Report
The Hyderabad surface is expected to favour batters early, offering true bounce and value for shots. However, the afternoon heat is likely to dry the pitch, bringing spinners into play as the match progresses. Teams winning the toss are likely to bat first, with a par score in the 185–200 range.
How To Watch Live Telecast
The Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network.
How To Watch Live Streaming
The SRH vs KKR match will be available for live streaming on JioHotstar.
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