5 best performances in KKR-SRH matches in IPL history ft. David Warner
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will host SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the third game of IPL 2024 on Saturday, March 23.
Both teams are nicely balanced and are expected to throw up a lot of lofty challenges that will thrill the neutral spectator.
KKR have a big advantage over their opponents given that they are playing in familiar conditions, but SRH have a top-quality side that can rise to any challenge.
In this listicle, we bring to you the five best performances in KKR-SRH games in the past:
#5 Gautam Gambhir - 90* off 60 vs SRH, IPL 2016
Former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper and current mentor Gautam Gambhir scored an unbeaten 90 off just 60 balls to help his team chase down a modest total of 143 in Hyderabad in IPL 2016.
Gambhir seemed to see the ball extremely well that day and used his footwork to good effect to negate the challenges posed by the SRH bowlers.
The KKR skipper still holds the record for the highest score by a batter of the franchise against SRH in the IPL.
The southpaw scored thirteen boundaries and a six in this innings, which allowed the visitors to pick up the all-important two points from this encounter.
#4 Bhuvneshwar Kumar - 3-19 vs KKR, IPL 2016
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was one of the vital cogs in the wheel for SunRisers Hyderabad in their title-winning 2016 IPL season.
In a playoff game against KKR at the Arun Jaitley Stadium (Feroz Shah Kotla) in New Delhi, he registered figures of 3-19 to guide his team to a memorable and enticing 22-run victory.
SRH had put up just 162 runs on the board, which was by no means a respectable total considering the standards of the IPL.
However, their fast-bowling spearhead Bhuvneshwar fired with all guns blazing and made sure that KKR did not come close to the target that they were chasing.
The UP seamer lived up to the expectations of his team, scalping three crucial wickets and splurging only 19 runs in his three overs.
#3 Harry Brook - 100* off 55 vs KKR, IPL 2023
One of the finest performances seen in KKR-SRH games in the past is the whirlwind century Harry Brook scored at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in IPL 2023.
Signed by the Hyderabad-based franchise as a marquee player, the Englishman took just 55 balls to get to his ton and remained unbeaten on an even 100.
It was also the first century of the 2023 IPL. Brooks' knock helped SRH post 228-4 batting first.
Despite Nitish Rana (75) and Rinku Singh (38*) threatening to take the game away from the visitors towards the end, the latter kept their composure and won the game by 23 runs.
#2 Rashid Khan - 3-19 and 34* vs KKR, IPL 2018
One of the most complete performances in KKR-SRH clashes came from Rashid Khan in the first Qualifier of the 2018 IPL, when he scored an unbeaten 34 lower down the order and provided some much-needed momentum to SRH.
Rashid turned what was about to be a lowly total for SRH into one of respectability - 174 in twenty overs seemed to certainly be defendable.
He then turned the game at Eden Gardens on its head when he first got Nitish Rana run out and then picked up the wickets of Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, and Andre Russell.
KKR could only muster 160, and SRH went through to the final, which they lost to Chennai Super Kings.
#1 David Warner - 126 off 59 vs KKR, IPL 2017
Former SRH captain David Warner takes the cake when it comes to the best performance in the past in games between the two teams.
Walking out to bat on a balmy evening at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad in IPL 2017, Warner smashed his way to a brilliant 126 off just 59 balls.
Warner's knock comprised 10 fours and eight massive sixes.
Warner sent the KKR bowlers on a veritable leather hunt and made their skipper Gautam Gambhir regret the decision to ask SRH to bat first on this flat batting surface. KKR were beaten by 48 runs in the end while chasing a target of 210.