🏏IPL 2025 - Match 68: KKR vs SRH at Delhi @ 7:30pm🏏

🏏IPL 2025 - Match 68: KKR vs SRH on 25th May 2025 at Delhi @ 7:30pm🏏

The Kolkata Knight Riders are all set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match No. 68 of the ongoing IPL 2025 at the iconic Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday, May 25. Notably, this is a dead rubber and the last league game for both teams.

The 18th season was far from ideal for the previous finalists. KKR, with five wins and six losses in 13 games, had a chance to make it to the top four but never found momentum from the beginning. With a revamped squad this season, they failed to defend their title.

Meanwhile, SRH also has had a similar story to tell as they hold the eighth position in the points tally. After a slow start, the Pat Cummins-led team have found rhythm in the last few games and are coming off two consecutive wins.

Big picture: Both teams look to end with a win

It has been a while since Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), last season's finalists, were eliminated from IPL 2025. Their mid-season woes were too much to make up for, even with KKR winning two of their last three completed games and SRH three of their last four.

However, a win in their final match could give some respite - on the points table, at least - as they can finish sixth. That's the motivation for both sides as they meet at a neutral venue, Delhi, looking to finish their campaign on a positive note.

SRH have lost their last five games against KKR. But form is on their side. They dispatched Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 42 runs, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by six wickets, with ten balls to spare. KKR's last completed game was 17 days ago, with their match against RCB rained out without a ball bowled, and they may need to shake off some rust as they look to extend their streak against SRH.

In the spotlight: Eshan Malinga and KKR's middle order

Eshan Malinga was picked up for INR 1.2 crore by SRH after a bidding war with Rajasthan Royals (RR). He has stepped up late in the season with ten wickets in six games, having struck at least once in every match he has played. Considering Mohammed Shami's high price tag of INR 10 crore, Malinga could be a tempting retention option for SRH moving into IPL 2026, with his electric fielding efforts having uplifted the team too.

KKR's middle-order struggles have been well documented this season. KKR were meant to be among the most destructive of the ten teams this season, but ended up among the worst. Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh have had forgettable seasons, while Andre Russell and Rinku Singh have blossomed too late. This led to KKR having the worst run rate (7.8) in overs 7-16 as well as the lowest average runs per wicket (20.8) of all teams. Sunday will be one last chance for them to show they're still a winning combination come next season.

Team news and likely XIIs

Rovman Powell and Moeen Ali are not available for KKR. Venkatesh could be back in place of Manish Pandey if he has recovered from his hand injury. Luvnith Sisodia, the explosive opener, could also get a debut in place of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, with one eye on IPL 2026.

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz/Luvnith Sisodia (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer/Manish Pandey, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav Arora.

Delhi has aided spinners, so Zeeshan Ansariand Rahul Chahar are potential options in the SRH XI. Otherwise, they could continue with their winning side from the game against RCB.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Travis Head, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 5 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Harsh Dubey, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Harshal Patel, 11 Eshan Malinga, 12 Jaydev Unadkat.

The big question

Shami didn't play IPL 2024 with an ankle injury. But he has always been great at making comebacks, and SRH were hoping for the same when they signed him for INR 10 crore at the auction. But with only six wickets in nine games, he was left on the sidelines. SRH will have to decide whether Shami, who will be 35 by the time the next IPL comes along, is part of their future plans. If he is, does he play against KKR?

Pitch and conditions

The average first-innings score at the Arun Jaitley Stadium this season has been 191, with results going 3-2 in favour of the chasing side. Scores of 200 have happened only three times in six matches, while spinners (31 wickets at 31.5, with an economy rate of 8.9) have outbowled the quicks (29 wickets at 43.9, with economy of 10.3). It should be a dry evening.

Key stats

• Travis Head averages only 2 against Vaibhav Arora, having fallen early to him both times they have faced off. Ishan Kishan struggles against Vaibhav too, averaging 5 and striking at 77 with two dismissals in four innings.
• Jaydev Unadkat has traditionally kept Sunil Narine quiet: five innings, 19 runs, three dismissals, average of 6.3, and a strike rate of 86.
• KKR and SRH have had contrasting spin fortunes. KKR have the lowest economy rate (7.4) of all teams while SRH (10) have the highest.
• It has been a disappointing season, by their high standards, for Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Last year, Travishek averaged 49.4 as a partnership and had a strike rate of 224. This season, it's 27.1 and 154, respectively.
• Abhishek (68), Heinrich Klaasen (54) and Narine (49) are three of the top six six-hitters in the IPL over the last two seasons.
• SRH have only a 31% win record against KKR, losing 20 of the 29 contests between the two sides.

Probable Best Batter of the Match

Travis Head could be the best batter in the upcoming game against the Kolkata Knight Riders. With 298 runs in his 12 games, Head might not have had the best of seasons, but he can take the game away from the opposition on any given day. The southpaw will look to make the most of the powerplay and capitalize on the batting conditions in Delhi.

Probable Best Bowler of the Match

Varun Chakravarthy could be the best bowler in the upcoming game. With 17 wickets in his last 12 matches, the spinner is currently KKR's highest-wicket taker this season. His mystery bowling is expected to bamboozle the SRH batters. Notably, he has picked 14 wickets in 12 matches against the Hyderabad-based franchise.

Today's Match Prediction: Kolkata Knight Riders to win the match

Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

What to expect: Hot weather with temperatures hovering around the mid-30s and high humidity. Pitches here have been high scoring and the small ground dimensions mean that six-hitting will be in business. There has been some help for spinners but that hasn't been drastic enough to stop run fests. Expect another high scoring game.

Head to Head: SRH 9-KKR 20. The Knight Riders have also won six of the last eight fixtures between the sides, including last year's final.