Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) prevailed over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with a resounding eight-wicket victory, cementing their position in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The anticipated match took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where KKR’s comprehensive performance left SRH struggling, and secured their fourth appearance in the IPL final, their first since 2021.
The day began with SRH’s captain, Pat Cummins, winning the toss and opting to bat first, relying on their aggressive batting line-up that had been a spectacle throughout the season. However, Mitchell Starc of KKR made an immediate impact, dismissing Travis Head’s stumps in just the second ball of the innings. This early breakthrough set the tone for KKR’s dominant bowling display.
The powerplay was a blend of intense moments and diverse strategies. While SRH tried to establish their dominance by playing aggressive shots, KKR remained relentless in their pursuit of wickets. Amidst this battle, Rahul Tripathi of SRH shone as a beacon of resistance, unafraid to take risks and play aerial shots despite the mounting pressure from KKR’s bowlers.
In a challenging start, SRH lost three more wickets quickly. Abhishek Sharma was caught by Andre Russell off Vaibhav Arora in the second over. Starc struck again in the fifth over, sending Nitish Reddy back to the pavilion with a top-edge that Rahmanullah Gurbaz safely clutched. Shahbaz Ahmed, promoted up the order to No. 6, could not make an impact as he was dismissed for a golden duck after chopping the ball onto his stumps. At 39 for four in just five overs, SRH found themselves in a tight spot.
However, it was the partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Tripathi that provided SRH with a glimmer of hope. Over the next six overs, the duo added a vital 61 runs to the board. Klaasen took on Sunil Narine in the ninth over, hitting him for 18 runs including a massive six, signaling SRH’s intent to shift the momentum. Tripathi reached his fifty in the 11th over, demonstrating an aggressive yet controlled approach, achieving the mark in just 29 deliveries.
Despite this promising partnership, SRH’s innings began to wobble once more. Klaasen was caught at deep mid-wicket by Rinku Singh for 32 runs.
. Abdul Samad arrived with aggressive intent, hitting Narine for two massive sixes. However, a mix-up led to Tripathi’s run-out for 55, leaving SRH at 121 for six.
In the closing stages of the innings, only Pat Cummins showed some resistance. His 30 off 24 balls helped SRH surpass the 150-run mark, hitting crucial boundaries in the last few overs and somewhat spoiling Starc’s figures. Cummins was eventually dismissed in the last over, and SRH’s innings ended at 159 runs. KKR’s disciplined bowling attack was spearheaded by Starc, who took three wickets for 34 runs, and Chakaravarthy, who was economical with two wickets for 26 runs. Their efforts were backed by excellent fielding that created several opportunities.
KKR began their chase with Rahmanullah Gurbaz opening alongside Sunil Narine. Gurbaz made a strong impression by hitting the second ball of the innings for a boundary. Narine and Gurbaz continued the aggressive approach against Pat Cummins, hitting crucial boundaries and a six. Despite T Natarajan’s breakthrough, getting Gurbaz caught for 23 in the fourth over, KKR maintained their aggressive pace.
There was no respite for SRH as Venkatesh Iyer continued the onslaught with great intent, ensuring KKR scored 63 runs in the powerplay. Narine’s quick 21-run cameo ended when he was caught off Cummins.
The Iyers, Shreyas and Venkatesh, then took over, controlling the required run rate while displaying aggressive batting. Venkatesh, showcasing his excellent timing, reached his half-century off just 28 balls, pulling one over mid-wicket. Shreyas joined the party, hitting Travis Head for a sequence of boundaries and sixes, reaching his fifty in 23 balls.
Ultimately, Shreyas sealed the victory with a towering six over long-on, wrapping up the chase in just 13.4 overs with 38 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand, another testament to KKR’s dominance on the day.
As KKR now gears up for the final, SRH will have another chance to make it there, facing the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals. The stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to the TATA IPL 2024 season.