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Pat Cummins with Abhishek Sharma & Harsh Dubey. Credits- AFP
The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are playing like a team to beat, having won all five of their last matches. The Ishan Kishan-to-Pat Cummins transition has not bothered the SRH camp either.
For Match 45, the Orange Army will face the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday afternoon.
In their previous outing, SRH hunted down a target of 244 runs with eight balls remaining. The opening pair, after all, came to party together and delivered for them, before the middle-order batters played another remarkable hand by not losing the plot.
However, there were serious flaws in their bowling attack against MI, with everyone except Eshan Malinga having a poor day at the office.
Ahead of the big match, let us look at what could be the SRH Playing XI vs KKR at Hyderabad.
SRH Playing XI vs KKR, IPL 2026, Match 45
Top Order: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan
Abhishek Sharma has been one of the most consistent batters going around this season. The hard-hitting Indian opener has slammed 425 runs in nine innings, striking at 209.36. This sort of batting is never seen, but that's the new normal for Abhishek.
Travis Head came back to form in the last game, as he punished MI with an entertaining 30-ball 76. Throughout the game, it never seemed that Head was trying too hard, but he punctured the MI bowling, led by Jasprit Bumrah. He will be a key part of the SRH Playing XI vs KKR.
Ishan Kishan was dismissed for a golden duck by Allah Ghazanfar, but the pocket dynamo has had just two modes in batting this season. Whether he will do nothing or he will not let the opposition do anything.
Also Read: SRH Player Ruled Out Of IPL 2026, Replacement Announced
Middle Order & All-Rounders: Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar
Heinrich Klaasen has been batting like a dream as he is an integral part of the SRH Playing XI. He finished off the game vs MI with an unbeaten 65 off 30 balls. The South African swashbuckler will be the most damaging batter.
Nitish Kumar Reddy has had his opportunities to seize the day completely, but the prolific all-rounder will be a gun player in the SRH Playing XI vs KKR, playing at his home ground.
The Orange Army has unearthed Salil Arora this season, who has a tremendous quality of not backing away from challenges as a finisher. He slammed a 10-ball 30* as he finished off the game against MI.
Although Aniket Verma can be SRH's Impact Player, they will also have the likes of Harsh Dubey and Shivang Kumar in their lower middle-order. Although their prime role will be spin, given it's an afternoon game vs KKR, their handy batting won't mind anything other than Kolkata.
Bowlers: Pat Cummins, Eshan Malinga, Praful Hinge
Pat Cummins' addition means the world to this SRH Playing XI. More than his captaincy, the Aussie is contributing with his fast bowling. A bowler like Cummins can bowl in any phase of the innings. Moreover, his cutters will come in handy on hot afternoon in Hyderabad.
What Eshan Malinga will provide to the SRH Playing XI vs KKR can't be comprised. He has been the best bowler of the tournament, which was proven when returned with 1/29 in his four overs, when nearly 500 runs were scored across two innings.
Praful Hinge will likely play over Sakib Hussain in the SRH Playing XI, only because of his new-ball skillset. Meanwhile, Hyderabad have Cummins and Malinga, who will bowl with control in the death overs.
SRH Playing XI vs KKR- Match 45, IPL 2026
Abhishek Sharma
Travis Head
Ishan Kishan (wk)
Heinrich Klaasen
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Salil Arora
Shivang Kumar
Harsh Dubey
Pat Cummins
Eshan Malinga
Praful Hinge
SRH vs KKR Impact Player Options
SRH Impact Players: Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Sakib Hussain, Liam Livingstone, Harshal Patel
Also Read: “If Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Plays Anymore..”- Rajasthan Royals Threatened With FIR
