The rivalry between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has produced some of the most exciting and dramatic matches in Indian Premier League history. Since Sunrisers Hyderabad entered the IPL in 2013, the two franchises have regularly faced each other in league matches as well as high-pressure playoff games.Hyderabad vs Kolkata Head-to-Head in IPL
KKR have historically enjoyed the upper hand in this contest, but SRH have also produced some spectacular victories. The rivalry reached another level in 2024, when KKR defeated SRH three times in the same season, including in Qualifier 1 and the IPL Final. SRH then responded strongly in 2025 and 2026, recording emphatic victories over KKR.
As of the end of the IPL 2026 season, SRH and KKR have played 32 matches against each other. KKR have won 20, SRH have won 11, and one match ended in a tie that was decided by a Super Over.
SRH vs KKR Head-to-Head Record
| Category | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata Knight Riders |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 32 | 32 |
| Wins | 11 | 20 |
| Losses | 20 | 11 |
| Tie/Super Over | 1 | 1 |
| Overall Advantage | — | KKR |
KKR have won 20 of the 32 meetings, giving them a clear historical advantage. SRH, however, have improved their record in recent seasons and have shown that they can defeat KKR convincingly.Hyderabad vs Kolkata Head-to-Head in IPL
Recent SRH vs KKR Results
The recent history of this rivalry has been particularly interesting.
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2022 | KKR won / SRH won |
| 2023 | SRH won / KKR won |
| 2024 | KKR won all 3 meetings |
| 2025 | KKR won one, SRH won one |
| 2026 | SRH won one, KKR won one |
In 2024, KKR had a remarkable season against SRH, defeating them in the league stage, Qualifier 1 and the Final. In 2025, SRH responded with a huge 110-run victory over KKR. The teams then split their two IPL 2026 meetings, with SRH winning by 65 runs in April and KKR winning by seven wickets in May.
Highest Team Scores in SRH vs KKR
This rivalry has produced some extraordinary batting performances
Sunrisers Hyderabad – 278/3
SRH’s highest score against KKR is 278/3, scored in Delhi in IPL 2025. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma provided a blazing start before Heinrich Klaasen produced a spectacular finish.
SRH eventually defeated KKR by 110 runs.
Kolkata Knight Riders – 226/8
KKR’s highest total against SRH is now 226/8, posted in the April 2026 meeting at Eden Gardens. SRH successfully defended the target and won by 65 runs.
Lowest Team Scores
The rivalry has also witnessed some major batting collapses.
| Team | Notable Low Score |
|---|---|
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 113 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 101 |
SRH’s 113 all out in the 2024 IPL Final is particularly memorable because KKR chased the target in just 10.3 overs to win the championship.
Most Runs in SRH vs KKR Matches
David Warner is the standout batter in the history of this rivalry.
| Player | Team | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| David Warner | SRH | 619 |
| Nitish Rana | KKR | 492 |
| Manish Pandey | SRH/KKR | 438 |
Warner’s consistency against KKR made him one of the most dangerous batters in this fixture. His performances at the top of the order frequently gave SRH a strong platform.
Most Wickets in SRH vs KKR Matches
Bowling has also played a major role in this rivalry.
| Bowler | Team | Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Andre Russell | KKR | 25 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 24 |
| Sunil Narine | KKR | 15 |
| T. Natarajan | SRH | 15 |
Andre Russell leads the wicket-taking charts in this particular matchup, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also enjoyed considerable success against KKR.
Most Memorable SRH vs KKR Matches
1. IPL 2017 – David Warner’s Record-Breaking Century
One of the most memorable individual performances in this rivalry came in IPL 2017, when David Warner produced a spectacular century against KKR.
Warner’s aggressive batting demonstrated why he was one of the most dangerous opening batters in T20 cricket. His ability to score boundaries from the beginning put enormous pressure on the KKR bowling attack.
His 126 remains the highest individual score recorded in this fixture.
2. IPL 2018 Qualifier 2 – SRH Reach the Final
The two teams met in the 2018 playoffs, with SRH defeating KKR in Qualifier 2.
The victory sent Hyderabad into the IPL Final, where they eventually lost to Chennai Super Kings.
The match remains an important chapter in the history of this rivalry because it demonstrated SRH’s ability to perform under playoff pressure.
3. IPL 2020 – Super Over Thriller
One of the closest matches between SRH and KKR came in IPL 2020.
Both teams scored 163 runs in their 20 overs, forcing the game into a Super Over. KKR eventually won the Super Over, making it one of the most dramatic contests between the franchises.
The match demonstrated just how evenly matched the two teams could be when both bowling attacks performed well.
4. IPL 2024 – KKR’s Dominant Season Against SRH
IPL 2024 was arguably the most one-sided season in this rivalry.
KKR defeated SRH in all three of their meetings.
The most important victories came in the playoffs.
Qualifier 1
KKR defeated SRH by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 to reach the IPL Final.
SRH were restricted to 159, while KKR chased the target comfortably with 38 balls remaining.
IPL 2024 Final
The two teams met again in the final.
SRH were bowled out for just 113, after which KKR chased the target with ease, winning by eight wickets and claiming their third IPL championship.
Mitchell Starc produced a crucial bowling performance, while KKR’s batting completed the victory quickly.
5. IPL 2025 – SRH’s 110-Run Revenge
SRH produced one of their biggest victories over KKR in the final league match of IPL 2025.
After being put into bat, SRH posted a gigantic 278/3. Travis Head scored 76 from 40 balls, while Heinrich Klaasen smashed a brilliant unbeaten 105 from 39 balls.
KKR were subsequently dismissed for 168, giving SRH a massive 110-run victory.
It was an emphatic response to KKR’s dominance over SRH in the previous season.
6. IPL 2026 – SRH Win by 65 Runs
SRH continued their strong response in the first meeting between the teams in IPL 2026.
SRH scored 226/8 at Eden Gardens before their bowlers dismissed KKR for 161.
SRH won by 65 runs, with the result making them the first team in that season to successfully defend a total at that stage of the competition.
7. IPL 2026 – KKR Strike Back
The second meeting of IPL 2026 produced a different result.
SRH were bowled out for 165 in Hyderabad. KKR chased the target successfully, reaching 169/3 in 18.2 overs to win by seven wickets.
Varun Chakravarthy was named Player of the Match after taking 3/36, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored a crucial half-century.
The victory reduced some of the pressure created by KKR’s earlier defeat to SRH that season.
Key Players in the Rivalry
Sunrisers Hyderabad
David Warner
Warner is arguably the greatest SRH batter in this particular rivalry. His aggressive opening style and ability to dominate bowling attacks made him a constant threat to KKR.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar has been one of SRH’s most consistent bowlers against KKR. His ability to swing the new ball and bowl accurately at the death has produced numerous important wickets.
Heinrich Klaasen
Klaasen has emerged as one of SRH’s most destructive middle-order batters. His unbeaten 105 in the 2025 meeting against KKR was one of the defining performances of the rivalry.
Travis Head
Head’s aggressive batting has added another dimension to SRH’s attack. His 76 in the 2025 match helped set up SRH’s huge 278/3.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ Key Players
Sunil Narine
Narine has been one of KKR’s most important players for many years. His mystery spin has troubled SRH’s batters, while his aggressive opening batting has also changed matches.
In May 2026, Narine became the first overseas bowler to reach 200 IPL wickets, achieving the landmark against SRH.
Andre Russell
Russell is the leading wicket-taker in the history of this particular matchup, with 25 wickets. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball has made him a valuable player against SRH.
Mitchell Starc
Starc produced one of his most important KKR performances in the 2024 playoffs, particularly during the run to the championship.
Varun Chakravarthy
Varun has become a key component of KKR’s spin attack. His 3/36 helped KKR defeat SRH in their second meeting of IPL 2026.
Team Strength Comparison
| Area | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata Knight Riders |
|---|---|---|
| Batting | Explosive top order | Powerful top/middle order |
| Spin | Quality options | Major strength |
| Pace | Strong | Strong |
| All-rounders | Competitive | Excellent |
| Playoff Experience | Strong | Excellent |
| Historical H2H | 11 wins | 20 wins |
KKR have the stronger historical record, while SRH have shown tremendous batting power in recent seasons.
Why SRH vs KKR Is Special
There are several reasons why this rivalry continues to attract attention:
- KKR have historically dominated the head-to-head record.
- SRH have produced some of the biggest totals against KKR.
- The teams have met in major IPL playoff matches.
- The 2024 IPL Final featured these two franchises.
- The rivalry has produced a Super Over.
- Players such as Warner, Narine, Russell, Bhuvneshwar and Klaasen have delivered memorable performances.
- Recent matches have included both huge wins and high-scoring contests.
The contrast between SRH’s explosive batting and KKR’s spin-heavy bowling makes the matchup particularly interesting.
Conclusion
The Hyderabad vs Kolkata head-to-head rivalry has become one of the most fascinating contests in IPL cricket. After 32 matches, Kolkata Knight Riders lead with 20 wins, while Sunrisers Hyderabad have won 11, with one tied match decided by a Super Over.
KKR’s dominance was particularly evident in 2024, when they defeated SRH three times, including an eight-wicket victory in the IPL Final. However, SRH responded spectacularly in 2025 with a 110-run victory after scoring 278/3, and they also defeated KKR by 65 runs in their first meeting of IPL 2026.
With both franchises possessing explosive batters, world-class bowlers and talented young players, future SRH vs KKR matches are likely to produce many more memorable moments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who has won more IPL matches between Hyderabad and Kolkata?
Answer: Kolkata Knight Riders have the better overall record. They have won 20 of 32 matches, while Sunrisers Hyderabad have won 11. One match ended in a tie and was decided by a Super Over.
2. Who has scored the most runs in SRH vs KKR matches?
Answer: David Warner is the leading run-scorer in this rivalry with 619 runs.
3. Who has taken the most wickets in SRH vs KKR matches?
Answer: Andre Russell leads the wicket-taking charts with 25 wickets, followed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar with 24.
4. What is the highest score in Hyderabad vs Kolkata IPL matches?
Answer: Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 278/3 in 2025 is the highest team total in this rivalry. KKR’s highest score is 226/8, recorded in IPL 2026.
5. Which is the most memorable SRH vs KKR match?
Answer: The IPL 2024 Final is arguably the most important match between the two teams. KKR bowled SRH out for 113 and won by eight wickets to claim their third IPL title.