Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their third TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) championship with a resounding all-round performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final held at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26, 2024. The historical venue had previously witnessed KKR’s maiden title victory in 2012, making this an exhilarating encore for the team and their fervent supporters.
In a match that will be remembered for the sheer dominance displayed by the KKR bowling unit, SRH could only muster a paltry 113 runs. KKR chased down the target in just 10.3 overs, losing only two wickets in the process.
The drama commenced at the toss with SRH opting to bat first. Despite KKR captain Shreyas Iyer admitting he would have chosen to bowl, his bowlers vindicated his confidence with a stellar performance. It was Mitchell Starc who set the tone right from the outset. Starc, already the Player of the Match from their previous clash in Ahmedabad, produced a magical first over against Abhishek Sharma. On his fifth ball, Starc delivered what could arguably be termed as one of the best deliveries of the tournament. Pitching around the middle stump and moving away slightly, the ball beat Abhishek’s defence and clipped the top of off-stump, leaving the SRH opener flummoxed.
Buoyed by Starc’s early breakthrough, Vaibhav Arora too got into the act. He dismissed the dangerous Travis Head with his very first ball, getting it to move away and finding the edge that carried safely to the wicketkeeper. These two quick wickets stunned the SRH camp, leaving them reeling at 6 for 2.
Despite these early hiccups, SRH attempted to consolidate but found it hard to counter the consistent pressure applied by KKR’s bowlers. Their first boundary came only in the third over. Starc, hungry for more, returned in the fifth over to claim the wicket of Rahul Tripathi, who mistimed a shot to mid-wicket while trying to accelerate the scoring.
The SRH innings briefly found some stability when Nitish Reddy smashed 17 runs off the sixth over bowled by Arora, including the first six of their innings. However, this flourish was short-lived. KKR’s bowlers, including star performers Andre Russell and Harshit Rana, continued to chip away with critical wickets. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy added to the woes of SRH with their tight, economical spells.
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Post the powerplay, Reddy was caught behind off Rana. SRH’s captain, Aiden Markram, was dismissed by Russell for 20 runs, caught at long-on by the ever-involved Starc. Shahbaz Ahmed fell cheaply to Chakaravarthy, and Abdul Samad, SRH’s impact player, was caught behind off Russell, further destabilizing the innings.
Heinrich Klaasen’s dismissal by Rana in the 15th over marked another significant blow as SRH had still not passed the hundred-run mark. Pat Cummins managed a fighting 24, anchoring the innings to at least reach into three figures. His resilience and a crucial drop by Starc prolonged SRH’s innings, but not for much longer. Ironically, Cummins’ prolonged effort ended when he found the same Starc at long-on in the 19th over, bringing the innings to a close.
When it came to the chase, KKR started with a flourish. Rahmanullah Gurbaz set the tone by hitting the second ball through point for four. SRH’s Pat Cummins faced a daunting challenge with the ball, and Narine promptly dispatched his first delivery for a six. However, Narine fell in an attempt to hit another six, top-edging to the leg-side. However, this slight jitters for KKR were quickly dismissed as Venkatesh Iyer smashed two sixes and a four in the very next over, making his intentions clear. By the end of the powerplay, Iyer had already driven KKR to a commanding 72 for one.
Gurbaz shifted gears during and after the powerplay, punishing SRH’s spinners and propelling KKR past the 100-run mark inside nine overs. Despite Gurbaz getting dismissed for 39, KKR were well on their way to victory.
Venkatesh Iyer, with his characteristic aggression, ensured there were no setbacks, reaching his half-century off just 24 balls. His authoritative hitting guided KKR to the brink of victory. When he struck the winning runs in the next over, it sealed a comprehensive win for KKR, sparking wild celebrations among the players and fans alike.
With this commanding triumph, KKR celebrated their third IPL title, a testament to their skilled bowling and powerful batting. The victory at the historic MA Chidambaram Stadium was a fitting finale to a remarkable IPL season.