Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) overpowered Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets to book their berth in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed a dominating performance by KKR, who excelled in all departments of the game to restrict a potent SRH batting line-up to a modest 159. The KKR batters then effortlessly chased down the total, securing their fourth appearance in the IPL final, their first since 2021.
The showdown began with SRH captain Pat Cummins winning the toss and opting to bat first. Hopes were high as SRH banked on their aggressive batting line-up that had dazzled audiences throughout the season. However, KKR’s bowlers had other plans. Mitchell Starc set the tone for the match in dramatic fashion, dismantling Travis Head’s stumps off the second ball of the innings.
The powerplay saw a rollercoaster of events. SRH, known for their fighting spirit, tried to counter KKR’s attacking bowling. Rahul Tripathi stood as a beacon of hope for SRH, fearlessly taking the aerial route to counter the pressure applied by KKR. Nevertheless, SRH’s innings experienced an early collapse. Abhishek Sharma was caught at cover by Andre Russell off Vaibhav Arora in the second over. Starc returned in the fifth over to cause further damage, dismissing Nitish Reddy, who was caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Shahbaz Ahmed, who chopped one onto his stumps first ball, leaving SRH reeling at 39 for four in five overs.
A ray of hope emerged for SRH in the form of a spirited 61-run partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Tripathi. They attacked Sunil Narine successfully, with Klaasen smashing a six straight down the ground to set the tone for the middle overs. Tripathi reached his fifty in the 11th over, scoring briskly despite the mounting pressure.
However, SRH’s innings wobbled again. Klaasen was caught at deep mid-wicket for 32 by Rinku Singh. Abdul Samad came to the crease with great intent, smashing a massive six off Narine with the first ball he faced, and continuing his assault. A mix-up with Tripathi, however, resulted in the latter’s run-out for a well-made 55, placing SRH in a precarious position at 121 for six.
In the tail end of the innings, only Captain Pat Cummins showed significant resistance, scoring 30 off 24 balls and guiding SRH past the 150-run mark.
. Cummins found boundaries in the slog overs, even scoring off Starc’s final deliveries. However, his dismissal in the last over saw SRH bow out at 159. Starc stood out with figures of three for 34, and Chakaravarthy provided excellent support, taking two for 26.
KKR’s fielders were outstanding, backing up their bowlers with committed fielding and creating numerous opportunities. When it was KKR’s turn to bat, they launched their chase with an aggressive approach, akin to chasing a target well above 200. Gurbaz opened with Narine, and the two wasted no time in accelerating. Pad Cummins faced a harsh welcome in the second over, conceding boundaries to both batters. Gurbaz entertained, hitting a top-edge for six over third-man, displaying the same flair that defined SRH’s start to the season.
SRH managed to claim their first breakthrough in the fourth over when T Natarajan had Gurbaz caught at cover for 23. Despite this, KKR continued their march with Venkatesh Iyer joining the fray. Batting with great intent, he maintained the momentum alongside Narine, who contributed a cameo of 21 before falling to Cummins.
The reins were then taken over by Shreyas and Venkatesh Iyer. The two kept the required run rate well within control and capitalized on SRH’s fielding errors, including some critical dropped catches of Shreyas Iyer. Venkatesh Iyer took charge, launching sixes and demonstrating his tremendous timing. Shreyas Iyer got into his stride, hitting his own share of boundaries as the innings progressed.
The chase was wrapped up emphatically with Venkatesh Iyer smashing a six over mid-wicket to bring up his half-century off just 28 balls. Shreyas Iyer followed suit, hitting his milestone sixes in the same over to complete his fifty off 23 balls. The KKR captain then sealed the victory with a massive six over long-on, concluding the chase in just 13.4 overs with 38 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand, showcasing KKR’s dominance.
As KKR celebrates securing their place in the final, SRH prepares for another opportunity to make it to the title clash. They will face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, keeping their hopes alive for the IPL 2024 crown.