Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 3 (ANI): Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane attributed his side's defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to the lack of crucial partnerships during the middle overs while chasing a challenging target of 227 in the sixth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Wednesaday.

'Yeah, I thought we needed a couple of big partnerships. Guys who were set needed to take it deep. We came back really well with the ball after they looked set for a big total, but while chasing, we couldn't build those partnerships,' Rahane said after the match.

Rahane noted that despite a strong start in the powerplay, where KKR raced to 84 runs in the first six overs, losing an extra wicket and failing to capitalise in the middle overs proved costly. He also pointed out that the pitch conditions became slightly tougher during the chase, with slower balls gripping more than expected.

'The slower balls were gripping more than in the first innings. We thought the wicket would get better, but the ball was stopping a bit. Still, no excuses--we got a good start but couldn't carry it forward,' he added.

The KKR skipper also praised SRH bowlers for their execution, especially their use of variations and angles during the middle overs, which applied pressure on the batters.

'I thought SRH bowlers executed their slower balls and angles really well. We just needed those small partnerships. If the batters maintain a positive mindset and awareness, we'll be fine going forward,' Rahane said.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, who won the Player of the Match for his brilliant 39 runs and two wickets, said, 'I have been waiting for a match-winning performance for a long time. I am trying to be positive. The last season didn't go my way. I wanted to work on my bowling. Really worked hard and it's paying off. I am happy about it. I am feeling very good, thanks to the trainers and physios taking care of me.'

Coming to the match, the three-time champions KKR suffered a one-sided defeat by 65 runs after the hosts failed to chase a challenging target of 227 runs.

For KKR, Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored a blistering half-century, but the rest of the batters failed to convert their start in a big run chase. SRH's Jaydev Unadkat scalped three wickets.

Earlier, half a century from Heinrich Klaasen and blistering knocks of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head helped their side post 226/8. Blessing Muzarabani bagged four wickets. (ANI)