Like a runaway train stopped in its tracks, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting pyrotechnics — so often relentless and unstoppable — were brought to a screeching halt by Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL 2026 clash on Sunday. And once that momentum slipped away, the home side never quite recovered.

“We just lost wickets at crucial times and in T20 games it’s really hard to regain the momentum,” head coach Daniel Vettori stated after the Sunrisers’ five-game winning run came to an end.

“Even if the wicket was a bit slow, 160 was incredibly difficult to defend. But we fought hard after the PowerPlay to give (ourselves) a slim chance. But they managed to chase really well.”