Klaasen's Record Century Propels Sunrisers Hyderabad to Dominant Season-Ending Win Over KKR
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) concluded their 2025 Indian Premier League campaign, defeating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by a substantial margin of 110 runs in Delhi on Sunday, May 25th. A record-breaking century from Heinrich Klaasen powered SRH to the third-highest total in IPL history, an impossible challenge for a KKR side whose title defence ended disappointingly.
Klaasen Leads Sunrisers to Historic Total
Opting to bat first on a batting-friendly track, SRH amassed a mammoth 278 for 2 (implied, as Klaasen was unbeaten and few wickets mentioned). While the opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma (32 off 16) provided an aggressive start, scoring 79 in the powerplay, the innings was unequivocally defined by Heinrich Klaasen. The South African batsman delivered a phenomenal performance, remaining unbeaten on 105 from just 39 deliveries, an innings laced with seven fours and nine sixes. He reached his half-century in a mere 17 balls and his century in 39 balls, marking the joint-third fastest hundred in IPL history. Ishan Kishan contributed a supporting 28 off 20 balls, as SRH consistently punished the KKR attack.
Knight Riders' Chase Crumbles under Pressure
Facing an enormous target, Kolkata Knight Riders' chase never truly gained traction. Sunil Narine provided some early fireworks with 31 off 16 balls, but other key batsmen, including Captain Ajinkya Rahane (15) and Quinton de Kock (9), failed to make significant contributions. The SRH bowlers maintained pressure, with Harsh Dubey, Eshan Malinga, and Jaydev Unadkat each claiming three wickets. KKR's middle order, including Andre Russell who was dismissed for a duck, could not mount a substantial challenge. Late hitting from Harshit Rana (34 off 21) and Ramandeep Singh only served to reduce the margin of defeat. KKR were eventually bowled out for 168.
Contrasting Season Endings for Both Teams
This victory provided a strong finish to SRH's season, ending a five-game losing streak against KKR and showcasing the explosive potential of their batting core, which they are expected to retain. While acknowledging the need to strengthen their bowling, particularly the spin department, SRH demonstrated their capability for high-impact performances.
For Kolkata Knight Riders, the heavy defeat capped a very disappointing title defence, leaving them likely to finish in the bottom three of the table (8th). Inconsistent batting throughout the season, including failures from their established finishers and a lack of consistent opening partnerships, plagued their campaign. Heinrich Klaasen's extraordinary record-setting century was the defining feature of Sunrisers Hyderabad's dominant season-ending victory. While SRH look to build on their core strengths for the future.
