In their recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) faced a tough defeat, and the team’s bowling coach, James Franklin, acknowledged the challenges they encountered, especially during the final overs of the game.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, SRH made a promising start by taking early wickets, dismissing Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock. However, they fell short in controlling the run flow, eventually allowing KKR to post a significant total of 200 runs. Franklin noted that SRH’s bowling in the death overs was particularly problematic, as KKR managed to score 66 runs in just the final four overs with Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh at the crease. In reply, SRH struggled and were bowled out for just 120 runs in 16.4 overs.
Reflecting on the performance, Franklin expressed that better execution could have changed the outcome. He pointed out that if the bowling had been sharper in the second half of KKR’s innings, they might have kept the total closer to 180 runs. “It’s a mix of assessment and execution,” Franklin mentioned during the post-match press conference. “The 65 runs in the last four overs showed we didn’t really get it right.”
He added that at the midway point, KKR was at 84 for 2, and with better control of the last 10 overs, SRH could have limited their scoring significantly. Franklin emphasized that as a coach, it’s important to reflect on what could be improved for future matches. “We’ll discuss how we can be braver in some areas before our next game on Sunday,” he said.
Looking ahead, the Sunrisers are eager to turn things around when they take on Gujarat Titans on Sunday, April 6, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Following the loss to KKR, SRH finds themselves at the bottom of the points table and will be hoping for a strong comeback.
