Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) batting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer once again proved to be Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) nemesis, smashing his third consecutive half-century against them in the IPL. The left-hander’s explosive 60 off just 29 balls at the iconic Eden Gardens on Thursday propelled KKR to a formidable total of 200/6 in their IPL 2025 encounter.
With this scintillating knock, Iyer has etched his name alongside an elite group of cricketers who have managed to score three or more consecutive fifties against SRH in the IPL. Only Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson, with four back-to-back fifties against SRH, and Faf du Plessis, who also notched three against them, have achieved this remarkable feat before.
Iyer’s impressive run against SRH includes a brisk 51 off 28 balls in the 2024 Qualifier 1 and a rapid 52 off 26 balls in the previous year’s final. His latest innings was a masterclass in aggressive batting, setting a solid foundation for KKR’s innings.
During the mid-innings break, Iyer reflected on the challenging conditions at Eden Gardens: “It was evident that the ball was holding up a bit, not the Eden I have played over the last two years. I think this is a very competitive score. If we bowl and field well, we should win this.”
Iyer credited his teammates for their crucial contributions in setting up the innings: “I was watching the match from the screen, it wasn’t easy to play shots. The ball was holding a bit, but Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi were really good to set up the innings for us.”
He also emphasized the importance of domestic cricket in player development: “It helps a lot that the BCCI has made it mandatory for everyone to play domestic cricket. It gives us a good chance of playing against quality bowlers, and you’ve seen so many bowlers coming around. It’s very challenging playing against them.”
KKR’s total of 200/6 was a collective effort, built on Iyer’s explosive knock, along with significant contributions from Ajinkya Rahane (38), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (50), and Rinku Singh (32). This performance not only showcased Iyer’s prowess but also highlighted the depth and strength of KKR’s batting lineup.