SRH enter this game riding a five-match winning streak and sitting 3rd on the points table with 12 points. After a rocky start that saw them lose three of their first four games, Pat Cummins’ return transformed the side and they have not looked back since — chasing down 244 at Wankhede and 229 at Jaipur along the way. A win here temporarily sends them to the top of the table.
KKR are in a very different situation. They lost five of their first six matches, but have since clawed back with consecutive wins — including a Super Over thriller against LSG that briefly revived their playoff hopes. They arrive at Uppal knowing that defeat ends their campaign mathematically. Every remaining game is a must-win for Ajinkya Rahane’s side.
SRH already beat KKR by 65 runs in their earlier meeting this season, and on current form, the hosts are the clear favourites. But KKR’s spin-heavy attack featuring Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy can cause problems even for the most destructive batting lineups, and the Hyderabad pitch rewards patient bowling in the middle overs. An afternoon match with no dew means this could be a more even contest than the form book suggests.
Match Preview: SRH vs KKR
| Match Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | SRH vs KKR, IPL 2026 Match 45 |
| Date | Sunday, May 3, 2026 |
| Time | 3:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| Broadcast | Star Sports, JioHotstar |
| SRH Captain | Pat Cummins |
| KKR Captain | Ajinkya Rahane |
| SRH Coach | Daniel Vettori |
| Key Absentees | No major injury concerns for either side |
| SRH Season Form | 3rd place – 6 wins, 4 losses in 10 matches (5-match win streak) |
| KKR Season Form | 8th place – 3 wins, 7 losses in 10 matches (2-match win streak) |
SRH vs KKR Predicted Playing XI & Key Players
Here are the predicted playing XI and key players to watch out for from both teams
SRH Predicted Playing XI
SRH Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (C & WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Pat Cummins, Harsh Dubey, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, Eshan Malinga
Impact Player: Aniket Verma
KKR Predicted Playing XI
KKR Predicted XI: Finn Allen (WK), Ajinkya Rahane (C), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Arora
Impact Player: Rachin Ravindra
SRH vs KKR Weather & Pitch Reports
| Weather Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Daytime High | 39°C (102°F) |
| Match-Time Temp | 37–38°C (98–100°F) |
| Humidity | 20–28% |
| Wind Speed | 10–15 km/h |
| Rain Probability | Very Low (< 5%) |
| Sky Condition | Clear and Sunny |
| Dew Factor | Negligible — afternoon match |
| Match Interruption Risk | Very Low |
Pitch Report — Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
| Pitch Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Batting-Friendly (True bounce, fast outfield) |
| Avg 1st Innings Score (IPL 2026) | 175–195 runs |
| Boundary Length | Straight: 68m, Square: 60m |
| 200+ Totals (IPL 2026) | Teams batting first have won 3 of 4 matches at this venue this season |
| Toss Decision | Bat first (no dew advantage; pitch does not deteriorate significantly) |
| Pace Assist | Good early seam movement in the powerplay |
| Spin Assist | Significant grip and turn in the middle overs (overs 7–15) |
| Dew Effect | None — afternoon start neutralises any dew advantage |
SRH vs KKR Dream11 Team
SRH vs KKR Head-to-Head
| Matches | SRH Wins | KKR Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | 11 | 20 |
Suggested Reads:
Key Players to Watch
| Player | Team | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | SRH | Orange Cap leader with 425 runs; strong at Uppal with aggressive pull & sweep shots |
| Travis Head | SRH | Explosive powerplay batter; can dominate in first 6 overs |
| Sunil Narine | KKR | All-rounder; aggressive opener + wicket-taking spinner |
| Heinrich Klaasen | SRH | Dangerous finisher; strikes above 180 in death overs |
| Varun Chakravarthy | KKR | Mystery spinner; highly effective in middle overs without dew |
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