Last Updated on 2 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey

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Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will meet the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 45th game of IPL 2026. Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, will host this game on 3rd May 2026 at 3:30 PM IST. SRH defeated KKR by 65 runs in their first encounter earlier this season.

SRH are third in the table with six wins in nine matches. They’ve now won six matches in a row and are eyeing their 7th win on the trot. The batters have been in terrific form while the bowlers have also been strong. Travis Head (76 runs) came back to form in the last game, and it’s a great sign for the team qw Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen are already in top form. Salil Arora (30* runs) also did well in the last match.

Eshan Malinga has been exceptional. Pat Cummins has also bowled well alongside Sakib Hussain. But there is still room for improvement for SRH, especially with the new ball. The spin attack has also looked ineffective at times, and they’ll have to rectify that.

Meanwhile, KKR have won their last two matches after losing six games on the trot. Rinku Singh and the bowlers have been the architects of those two victories for KKR. The batting is still far from what’s ideally expected, and they must contribute consistently. Ajinkya Rahane, Tim Seifert, Rovman Powell, and Cameron Green will have to take responsibility. 

Varun Chakaravarthy’s been in good form lately, while Sunil Narine is consistent as ever. The pacers needs to be disciplined with their lines and lengths. Overall, KKR are looking good but they desperately need their batters to join the party.

IPL 2026 45th Match: SRH vs KKR Probable Playing XIIs

Shivang Kumar should replace Harsh Dubey in this match. They may replace Praful Hinge with another domestic pace option.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1. Travis Head, 2. Abhishek Sharma, 3. Ishan Kishan (c & wk), 4. Heinrich Klaasen, 5. Nitish Kumar Reddy, 6. Salil Arora, 7. Aniket Verma, 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Shivang Kumar, 10. Praful Hinge  11. Eshan Malinga 

Impact Sub: Sakib Hussain

Matheesha Pathirana may replace Rovman Powell in the XI, with Manish Pandey coming in as well. 

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1. Tim Seifert (wk), 2. Ajinkya Rahane (c), 3. Cameron Green, 4. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5. Manish Pandey, 6. Rinku Singh, 7. Ramandeep Singh, 8. Sunil Narine, 9. Vaibhav Arora, 10. Kartik Tyagi 11. Matheesha Pathirana

Impact Sub: Varun Chakaravarthy

Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium Hyderabad Pitch Report and Weather

The average first innings score here this season is 202 runs with teams batting first winning three out of four. The wicket is good for batting, especially in the first innings, and it slows down a bit in the latter half of the match.

SRH may not give a wicket that aids spin, as KKR has two quality spinners in Narine and Chakaravarthy. So, expect a high-scoring encounter, but since it’s a day game, spinners won’t be completely out of the picture. 

The temperature will be 39 degrees Celsius at the start of the game, and there’s no chance of rain.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for SRH vs KKR: Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicketkeeper picks:  

• Ishan Kishan has 312 runs in nine matches with three fifties. His strike rate this season is 197.46. He’ll look to take the attack to the opposition and has scored big runs whenever he’s got going this season. Kishan will be a top fantasy pick and a good C/VC choice. 
• Heinrich Klaasen is in sublime form in this edition. In nine innings, he has scored 414 runs at an average of 59.14 at a strike rate of 157.41 (four 50s). Klaasen is the likeliest player to make a 30+ score (42.37% probability), according to SPODA AI predictive analysis.
• Tim Seifert has been dismissed cheaply in the last two matches, but he can come good. He attacks early and plays shots all around the ground. Seifert will be in for a big score as SRH hasn’t looked that consistent with the ball in the powerplay.

Key batter picks: 

• Abhishek Sharma has 425 runs in nine matches at an average of 53.12 at a strike rate of 209.35 with one century and three fifties. He’s been very consistent this season and has scored runs in almost every match. Abhishek will be a popular C/VC choice and has a 42.22% probability of making a 30+ score as per SPODA AI predictive analysis.
• Rinku Singh has two fifties in the last two matches, and he’s been the best batter for KKR this season. He has 215 runs in nine innings with a couple of fifties.

Top all-rounder picks: 

• Cameron Green has failed to get going this season apart from one knock of 79 runs. He has 196 runs in eight matches and will be a key batter for KKR as he can take the spinners to the cleaners as well. Green will bowl 2-3 overs too.
• Sunil Narine has seven wickets so far at an economy of 6.66. He can bowl in any phase of the innings and will be a key bowler for his team against SRH’s left-hand heavy top order. He is handy with the bat as well.

Key bowler picks: 

• Varun Chakaravarthy has seven wickets in the last three matches. He’s starting to pick up wickets consistently after his shaky start to the tournament. Varun is a proven match-winner for KKR, and his four overs will be very crucial.
• Eshan Malinga has 15 wickets to his name in nine matches so far. 12 of these 15 wickets have come in the last five matches. SPODA AI predictive analysis gives Malinga a 57.90% chance of taking 2+ wickets.

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Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Teams 

• Nitish Kumar Reddy.
• Pat Cummins.
• Sakib Hussain.
• Ajinkya Rahane.
• Kartik Tyagi.

Other Matchups and Facts 

• Head-to-Head: 31 matches; KKR 20 and SRH 11. 
• Ishan Kishan vs. Vaibhav Arora (T20s): 20 runs and 3 dismissals in 20 deliveries.
• Travis Head vs. Vaibhav Arora (T20s): 49 runs and 2 dismissals in 22 deliveries.
• Abhishek Sharma vs. Vaibhav Arora (T20s): 19 runs and 1 dismissal in 27 deliveries.
• Ishan Kishan vs. Sunil Narine (T20s): 55 runs and 2 dismissals in 39 deliveries. 
• Heinrich Klaasen vs. Matheesha Pathirana (T20s): 23 runs and 3 dismissals in 14 deliveries. 
• Ishan Kishan vs. Sunil Narine (T20s): 55 runs and 2 dismissals in 39 deliveries.

IPL 2026 45th Match: SRH vs KKR Dream11 Prediction Today

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

IPL 2026 45th Match: SRH vs KKR Match Prediction: Who will win?

Sunrisers are looking superior to KKR on all fronts. They have an in-form batting unit, good batting depth, and their bowlers are in decent form as well. KKR will have to be at their best with the bat and their bowlers being disciplined if they are to win this match. Based on current form and depth in their squads, SRH will start as the favorites.

Sunrisers Hyderabad to win.