The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have etched their names in the annals of cricket history once again by clinching the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 title. With a commanding all-round performance, they triumphed over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final match at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This victory not only adds a third trophy to their cabinet but also rekindles memories of their maiden title win at the same venue back in 2012.
On May 26, 2024, KKR walked onto the field with a mission. Their bowlers set the tone right from the start, delivering a stellar performance that restricted the formidable SRH batting line-up to a meager total of 113 runs. KKR then chased down the target with remarkable ease, achieving the victory in just 10.3 overs and losing only two wickets in the process.
The match began with SRH winning the toss and opting to bat first, a decision that KKR captain Shreyas Iyer might have also taken. However, Iyer expressed confidence in his bowlers’ abilities, and they did not disappoint. Leading the bowling attack was Mitchell Starc, the Player of the Match from their previous encounter in Ahmedabad, who showcased his brilliance early on.
Abhishek Sharma, instead of the usual opener Travis Head, came out to bat first for SRH. Starc, with the new ball in hand, began his spell with impressive shape and control. By the fifth ball of the first over, he delivered what many would regard as one of the best balls of the tournament. The delivery pitched around middle-stump and slightly swung away, knocking the top of off stump and dismissing Sharma.
Buoyed by Starc’s breakthrough, Vaibhav Arora joined the fray, creating magic of his own. With his very first ball, he managed to lure Head into an edge to the wicketkeeper, reducing SRH to a precarious six for two. KKR’s early double strike severely dented SRH’s confidence, and the runs became scarce as KKR’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure during the powerplay.
SRH managed to get their first boundary only in the third over. Starc, continuing his impressive bowling, dismissed Rahul Tripathi in the fifth over. Trying to hit a big shot, Tripathi skied a ball that was easily caught at mid-wicket.
The sixth over, bowled by Vaibhav Arora, offered SRH some respite as they managed to score 17 runs, with Nitish Reddy hitting the first six of their innings.
. Despite this brief recovery, the middle overs saw sustained pressure from KKR’s bowlers. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana delivered impactful spells, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy maintained economic control.
Reddy was soon caught behind off Rana shortly after the powerplay. Aiden Markram, one of SRH’s key players, managed to score 20 before falling to Russell, who had him caught at long-on by Starc. The wickets kept tumbling for SRH, with Shahbaz Ahmed being caught early in his innings off Chakaravarthy’s bowling, and Abdul Samad, the designated impact player, being caught behind off Russell.
The critical blow to SRH’s innings came when Harshit Rana bowled Heinrich Klaasen in the 15th over, with SRH still under 100 runs. Pat Cummins offered some resistance at the end, finishing as the team’s top-scorer with a fighting 24. Cummins extended SRH’s innings after being dropped by Starc, but ultimately he too succumbed, finding Starc at long-on in the 19th over, ending SRH’s innings at 113.
KKR’s chase was initiated with aggressive intent as Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit the second ball through point for four. Pat Cummins bowled the second over, and Sunil Narine smashed the first ball over mid-wicket for a six. However, Narine’s attempt to repeat his big hit saw him top-edging, resulting in a catch on the leg-side.
Nevertheless, any jitters KKR might have had were quickly dispelled when Venkatesh Iyer took charge. In the next over, he hit two sixes and a four off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, making a strong statement. KKR’s fifty came up inside the first five overs, with Venkatesh particularly aggressive through the leg-side.
Gurbaz played a more measured innings, with the team reaching 72 for one at the end of the powerplay. Venkatesh Iyer’s onslaught continued, blasting three fours and a six in the last over of the powerplay, bowled by T Natarajan.
After the powerplay, Gurbaz accelerated his scoring as spinners came into play, allowing KKR to cross the 100-run mark inside nine overs. Although Gurbaz was dismissed for 39, the Iyer duo – Venkatesh and Shreyas Iyer – marched KKR to victory.
Venkatesh reached his half-century off just 24 balls, with the target in sight. He fittingly hit the winning runs in the next over, triggering wild celebrations as the KKR players stormed onto the field to celebrate their third IPL title. KKR’s emphatic win, highlighted by their excellent bowling and aggressive batting, capped off a memorable IPL 2024 season.