Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made a historic leap in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, becoming the first team to guarantee their spot in the playoffs. Their triumphant moment unfolded at their home ground, Eden Gardens, where they secured an 18-run victory over Mumbai Indians (MI), marking their ninth win of the season.
The evening was marked by persistent rain, which led to a reduction in the contest to a 16-overs-a-side affair. MI won the toss and chose to bowl first, setting the stage for an electrifying start. The very first ball of the match, bowled by Nuwan Thushara, was dispatched over long-off for a massive six by Phil Salt. However, Salt’s aggressive intent backfired later in the over when he attempted another big hit over fine-leg but ended up being caught by the fielder in the deep.
Jasprit Bumrah, known for his lethal deliveries, came on to bowl the second over. He struck immediately, with Sunil Narine misjudging a full delivery that swung in and shattered the stumps, leaving KKR reeling at 10 for two. The early collapse signaled a crisis for KKR.
Venkatesh Iyer, recognizing that attack might be their best form of defense, stepped up to stabilize the innings. In the fourth over, despite an injury scare, Venkatesh went on the offensive against Bumrah, scoring two fours and a six, thus easing some pressure off KKR. Unfortunately, Shreyas Iyer couldn’t add much to the score as he was bowled around his legs by Anshul Kamboj. Nitish Rana, making a return from injury, joined Venkatesh in an attempt to rebuild the innings.
KKR’s innings didn’t see any massive partnerships as they lost wickets at regular intervals. However, there were pivotal contributions. Venkatesh’s rapid 21-ball 42 was vital in setting the tempo before he was dismissed by Suryakumar Yadav off Piyush Chawla’s bowling in the ninth over. Andre Russell added fireworks with a six off his second ball, while Nitish Rana kept the scoreboard ticking with regular boundaries, although he was run out for 33 in the 12th over.
Cameos from the middle and lower order helped KKR edge close to the 160 mark. Russell’s 24 off 14 balls and Rinku Singh’s 20 off 12, including two sixes, were crucial. Ramandeep Singh capped off the innings with an unbeaten 17 off eight balls, launching a six off the last ball to take KKR to 157 for seven. For MI, Chawla was the pick of the bowlers with two for 28 in three overs. Bumrah took two for 39 in his four overs, retaining the purple cap. Anshul Kamboj was economical, conceding just 24 runs in his three overs and grabbing one wicket.
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Chasing 158, MI got off to a flying start, thanks to Ishan Kishan. The first five overs saw MI race to 59, with Ishan smashing 37 off just 17 balls. Harshit Rana was targeted, going for 15 runs in the fourth over. Even Narine, usually economical, was hit for a six and a four in the fifth over. MI appeared on track for a victory with Ishan in superb form. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma started cautiously but rotated the strike effectively after hitting an early six off Vaibhav Arora on a free hit.
KKR’s spinners brought them back into the game during the middle overs. Narine got rid of Ishan in the seventh over, having him caught at deep midwicket for 40. Soon after, Rohit Sharma hit one to short fine-leg where Narine caught it off Varun Chakaravarthy’s bowling, giving him his first wicket. By the end of the 10th over, MI was 81 for two and had slowed considerably. With Suryakumar Yadav at the crease, MI still had a fighting chance. However, Russell dashed their hopes by getting Suryakumar to pull one to deep square-leg in the 11th over.
KKR continued to stymie MI with timely wickets. Chakaravarthy’s four overs yielded just 17 runs for two wickets, showcasing his spin prowess. Narine chipped in with another wicket for 21 runs in his three overs. Russell’s contributions included crucial wickets, like the dismissal of Tim David for zero.
For MI, Tilak Varma showed resilience, trying to keep MI in the chase even as the required run rate climbed. Some aggressive hitting by Naman Dhir in the penultimate over rekindled MI’s hopes. Nevertheless, with 22 runs needed off the final over, Harshit Rana delivered an impressive spell. He dismissed Dhir and ended Tilak’s fight, sealing the win for KKR.
The Eden Gardens crowd erupted in jubilation with another victory in what has been a remarkable season for KKR. They bid farewell to their home ground this year with an impressive five wins out of seven matches, celebrating a memorable and successful run.