The following match of the 2025 Indian Premier League will be held on Thursday at 7:30 PM IST at Eden Gardens in Kolkata between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders will play against each other in the 15th match of the 2025 Indian Premier League on Thursday, April 3, at 7:30 PM IST.

Both the sides lost their previous away games – KKR to MI, SRH to DC. This places SRH on 8th position and KKR on 10th in the table.

DC secured a convincing 7-wicket victory over SRH, opening up a target of 164 runs. The defeat notwithstanding, SRH also discovered a ray of hope in young player Aniket Verma, whose 74 from 41 deliveries impressed everyone. But Mitchell Starc's legendary five-wicket haul tore the batting line-up of Hyderabad asunder, sending them for just 163 runs. DC staged a comeback supported by solid returns from Faf du Plessis, Abhishek Porel, and Tristan Stubbs.

Five-time winners crushed the defending champions at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium with an incendiary bowling performance. Ashwani Kumar spearheaded the attack with a menacing 4 for 24 slash, sending KKR to the crease for a paltry 116 runs. The hosts coasted to the target, winning the match by eight wickets and dropping the Knight Riders to the lowest rung of the points table.

An exciting match is on the cards between the two sides, with opener fast batsmen: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock, and several others in action.

Match Preview

Kolkata Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders have been unable to play well this season. They were beaten heavily twice but did capture a less-than-convincing Rajasthan Royals. They self-destructed in their previous match at Wankhede against the Mumbai Indians, going down by eight wickets. Batting first themselves, they put up a paltry 117 on a promising pitch. Mumbai orchestrated the chase easily, securing victory in 12.5 overs.

Such a crushing defeat will definitely shake the team, and it won't be easy to bounce back. Their greatest worry is their vulnerable batting order. If Quinton de Kock gets out cheaply, the rest of the top order gives little hope. Sunil Narine is yet to find his feet in the opening job, and Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell are hit by form issues.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi has promised but his fast runs haven't yet resulted in bigger scores, particularly because other batsmen have been disappointing.

KKR bowling, however, has improved. Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy are still the go-to men during the middle overs. Narine's statistics at Eden Gardens—71 wickets in 60 games at an economy of 6.33—speak volumes.

In pace attack, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, and Harshit Rana might not be the league's top names but have risen to the occasion and asserted themselves.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad started the season on a golden note, dismantling their opponents with aggressive batting. But it was the very same aggressive play that led to two successive losses, where their much-acclaimed team failed to deliver. This team is a double-edged sword—sometimes they run past 240 runs, and sometimes they collapse under their own onslaught.

The likes of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma hold SRH's hopes together. It is highly essential that a solid beginning during the Powerplay from these two becomes the lifeline for the team. Abhishek Sharma, despite struggling with his bat in the last three matches, is too talented a player to keep failing time and again. He is bound to produce a decent knock and are expecting him to score over 30 runs with a strike rate of well above 200.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen might also be match-winners on this pitch. They both take some deliveries to settle, but can shift gears quickly once they get into the rhythm. Another plus point for SRH was Aniket Verma. His rapid 36 (13) and 74 (41) in the past two games indicate that he is becoming a threatening finisher in the lower orders.

In the bowling, Mohammed Shami and Pat Cummins will have to demonstrate their skills and gain their rhythm sooner rather than later. They have not been as effective as hoped till now, giving runs at the wrong time. Adam Zampa, who is generally a reliable one, has also found it tough with his lengths. But youngster leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari impressed in the previous game and can prove to be a valuable asset in the Eden Gardens ground.

Pitch Report

In the latest IPL matches at Eden Gardens, the pitch has been a real playground for batsmen, thanks to its flat surface and solid bounce that really encourages strokeplay. This was particularly clear when the Punjab Kings smashed a record 262 runs against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 IPL. While the pitch isn’t as consistently flat as those in Bengaluru or Hyderabad, spinners might still find some help in the dry, humid conditions.

Toss Prediction

Sunrisers Hyderabad have yet to win as runners-up in this tournament. The last two matches in this head-to-head competition were won by the chasing team. Both captains could be happy with the chasing team, given their history and the conditions on this day.

Weather Report

On match day in Kolkata, expect some serious heat. Humidity will play a big role too, so players need to keep their hydration game strong. And don’t worry about rain; it’s not in the forecast.

Head to Head

Last year's champions have triumphed against their tourists four times in the last five years. Hyderabad's last victory came against Kolkata in 2023.

Venue Details

At Eden Gardens, the average score for the first innings typically hovers around 167 runs. However, last season saw more than 200 runs scored on eight occasions, hinting at a shift towards higher-scoring matches. This time, the pitch seems to favor the batsmen, while still offering some assistance to both pacers and spinners. Given the shorter boundaries, teams batting first will likely set their sights on a target between 190 and 200 runs.

Match Prediction

Both Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad are in dire need of a win to turn their season around. KKR, the champions from last year, have hit a rough patch following a heavy loss in their last game. Their batting lineup has been exposed, and it’s uncertain if they can resolve these issues quickly. Meanwhile, SRH won’t change their aggressive approach, even after two straight losses. Their batting strength is too formidable to let them stumble for a third time in a row. With KKR’s confidence shaken, SRH seems to be in a better position to take control of this match.

We’re backing on Sunrisers Hyderabad to take this match.

Betting Tips

The Kolkata Knight Riders have a knack for bouncing back after a win, having recently taken down the Rajasthan Royals just days after losing to the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Sunrisers Hyderabad had a solid win against the Royals, but after two back-to-back losses, they seem to be facing a bit of a hurdle. With Kolkata's strong record against Hyderabad and the advantage of playing at home, they’re looking like the favorites. When it comes to their head-to-head, KKR has a win percentage of 53% against SRH, which leans in favor of SRH.

Bet on SRH.

Probable Playing XI

Kolkata Knight Riders Playing XI

Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh , Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Playing XI

Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Aniket Verma, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Abhinav Manohar, Harshal Patel, Zeeshan Ansari, Mohammed Shami.

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediction

Kolkata Knight Riders Key Players

Sunil Narine is the fantasy team's MVP. He bats at the top and is an excellent off-spinner. Place your bets on him to score in both departments.

Varun Chakravarthy is a skilled bowler, particularly on the flat deck. In three games of the 2025 IPL, he claimed three wickets with an economy of 6.54.

Andre Russell is an elite all-rounder and has a great track record against SRH. He is a prime choice against this team.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Key Players

Travis Head is a hard-hitting top-order batsman and had a great season last season, scoring 567 runs in 15 games. He made a half-century in the first game.

Abhishek Sharma will open the batting and scored 484 runs in 16 games last season with a strike rate of 204. He will be a top pick.

Heinrich Klaasen got starts but could not make them into big scores. His scores in the previous three innings are 32, 26, and 34.