Date: May 25, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Overview
Cricket often mirrors life – unpredictable and full of ups and downs. Last year, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) battled it out in the IPL 2024 final. KKR lifted their third IPL trophy in a thrilling clash. Fast forward to IPL 2025, both sides are now out of playoff contention and face each other for pride in their final league match.
Sunrisers Hyderabad – A Season of Unfulfilled Promise
SRH began their campaign on a high, smashing Rajasthan Royals with a record-breaking win. Their aggressive batting style set the tone early on. But as the tournament progressed, oppositions adapted. The initial momentum faded, and a lack of bowling firepower exposed their vulnerability.
- Travis Head underperformed compared to his stellar 2024 season.
- Abhishek Sharma stood out with impactful knocks but lacked consistent support.
- SRH recently regained form, chasing 200+ against LSG and defending 231 vs RCB.
The Arun Jaitley pitch suits their aggressive batters, but they’ll face a real test against KKR’s spin duo.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Defending Champions Hit by Inconsistency
KKR’s title defense crumbled under batting misfires and lack of momentum.
- Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy were world-class all season, especially away from Eden Gardens.
- However, the batting unit, including the big-ticket signing Venkatesh Iyer, failed to fire.
- KKR’s middle-order struggled against spin – ironic given their own spin dominance.
With a few key players missing and a reshuffled squad, KKR will hope to test new combinations and finish strong.
Match Details
- Pitch Report: High-scoring surface with short boundaries; expect 180+ totals. Spinners can get some grip, but the batting-friendly nature often dominates.
- Weather: Hot and humid conditions with temperatures in the mid-30s.
- Head-to-Head: KKR leads 20-9 and has won 6 of the last 8 encounters, including the IPL 2024 final.
Team News and Probable XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Injury Update: No injuries reported.
- Tactics: Cummins, who has taken 12 wickets in the last 7 matches, will target early breakthroughs. SRH is the only team without a 50+ opening stand this season.
Probable Playing XI:
Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga
Kolkata Knight Riders
- Unavailable: Rovman Powell and Moeen Ali did not return to India post-resumption. Powell has been replaced by Shivam Shukla.
- Tactics: Narine and Varun are crucial outside Eden – 16 wickets in 5 away games with a 6.03 economy. Can they stifle SRH’s aggressive top order?
Probable Playing XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anrich Nortje / Spencer Johnson
Did You Know?
- SRH has won 4 out of 4 matches where they scored 200+, and only 1 of 8 where they didn’t.
- Abhishek Sharma is the only batter with back-to-back 400+ run seasons at a 180+ strike rate.
- Cummins on Eshan Malinga: “He’s been a revelation with the ball. Great yorkers, deceptive slower balls – he’s been a real find this season.”
Conclusion
While this may be a dead rubber in terms of playoff stakes, it’s a golden opportunity for both teams to regroup, test their bench strength, and end on a high. For SRH, a third consecutive win would provide a positive finish. For KKR, it’s about pride and promise ahead of next season.
