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Heinrich Klaasen’s 37-Ball Century Powers SRH to Record Win Over KKR in IPL 2025 Finale
SRH End Campaign on a High with a Monumental Score
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) ended their otherwise disappointing IPL 2025 season on a thunderous note with an explosive 110-run win over the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The highlight of the encounter was Heinrich Klaasen’s magnificent unbeaten 105 off just 37 balls, which propelled SRH to a staggering 278/3 – the third-highest total in IPL history.
Klaasen’s innings, laden with 9 sixes and 7 fours, was not only a brutal display of power-hitting but also a strategic takedown of KKR’s famed spin attack. His century was the joint-third fastest in IPL history, matching Yusuf Pathan’s iconic knock.
Opening Blitz: Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma Lay the Foundation
SRH started their innings with tremendous intent, with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma launching into the KKR bowlers from the second over. Anrich Nortje bore the initial brunt, conceding 20 runs, setting the tone for the carnage. Head was particularly severe on Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana, racking up 55 runs within the first four overs.
Abhishek joined the assault, targeting Nortje again with two boundaries in the fifth over, before Head closed out the PowerPlay in style. By the end of the PowerPlay, SRH stood at 79/0 – a position of complete dominance.
Middle Overs Mayhem: Klaasen Takes Over, 200 Up in 13 Overs
Once Abhishek departed after two massive sixes off Narine, Klaasen entered the stage. He initially played second fiddle to Head, who notched his third half-century of the season in just 26 balls. But it was Klaasen’s onslaught that broke the game open. He began by hitting his 300th T20 six off Varun Chakravarthy and followed it up with three consecutive boundaries in the same over.
Varun’s next over was even worse – 20 runs flowed as both batters exploited the field placements. SRH reached 139/1 by the 10-over mark. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane tried numerous bowling combinations, including Russell and Rana, but nothing stopped the bleeding.
Andre Russell was smashed for 17 runs and Harshit Rana for 22 in back-to-back overs, as Klaasen powered to a 17-ball fifty. Though Narine managed to remove Head and bowl a tight 13th over, Klaasen resumed the assault in the 14th, clearing boundaries with ease and propelling SRH past 200 with more than five overs to spare.
Death Overs Destruction: Klaasen’s Century Headlines 278-Run Finish
Klaasen’s hundred came in just 37 balls – a breathtaking display of brute force and precision. Ishan Kishan supported him briefly with 29 off 20 before falling, but the focus never shifted from Klaasen.
In the death overs, SRH added 74 more runs, with Klaasen smashing Varun for another couple of sixes and dispatching Nortje and Russell to all parts of the ground. The final score of 278/3 left KKR a mountain to climb and gave SRH a commanding hold on the match.
KKR’s Chase Falters Despite Strong Start
KKR needed a historic chase, and Sunil Narine initially showed some promise with three sixes and two fours off Pat Cummins. However, Jaydev Unadkat’s cunning use of slower balls derailed the start by removing Narine. Ajinkya Rahane came out aggressively but was dismissed by another Unadkat off-cutter.
By the end of the PowerPlay, KKR had posted 59/2, but the real damage came in the middle overs.
SRH Bowlers Tighten Grip in Middle Overs
Eshan Malinga and Harsh Dubey tore through KKR’s middle-order. De Kock, who struggled for fluency, was dismissed in the 7th over by Malinga. In the very next over, Dubey removed Rinku Singh and Andre Russell in consecutive deliveries. Rinku was caught at deep square leg while Russell fell victim to sharp turn and drift.
Read more about SRH’s spin strategy in this detailed IPL 2025 analysis.
At 81/5 in 10 overs, the chase was effectively over. Malinga returned to dismiss Raghuvanshi, while Dubey cleaned up Ramandeep Singh for his third wicket. Harshit Rana provided some resistance with a couple of sixes, but the scoreboard pressure was too much.
Unadkat and Malinga Seal Massive Victory
Manish Pandey briefly lit up the death overs with a quick 37, hitting three sixes off Malinga. He and Rana added 52 off 22 balls, offering a glimpse of hope. However, Unadkat’s slower deliveries did the trick again, removing Pandey and running out Arora in the same over.
Malinga then removed Rana to wrap up KKR’s innings at 168 in 18.4 overs, handing SRH a colossal 110-run win.
Check our full SRH match archive for more dominant performances.
This remarkable victory showcased SRH’s potential firepower and served as a fitting end to a mixed IPL 2025 campaign. Heinrich Klaasen’s sensational knock, combined with disciplined bowling from Unadkat, Malinga, and Dubey, highlighted the depth in the squad and their ability to bounce back under pressure.
KKR, despite a strong season, were thoroughly outplayed in this contest. Their inability to control SRH’s middle-overs aggression cost them dearly.
Brief Scores:
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 278/3 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 105*, Travis Head 76; Sunil Narine 2-42)
Kolkata Knight Riders: 168 in 18.4 overs (Manish Pandey 37; Jaydev Unadkat 3-24, Eshan Malinga 3-31, Harsh Dubey 3-34)
Result: Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 110 runs.
