The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have emerged as champions of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 in resounding fashion. Demonstrating a formidable all-round performance, KKR triumphed over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the final showdown at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This victory marked KKR’s third IPL title, reminiscent of their historic maiden win at the very same venue back in 2012. On May 26, 2024, KKR once again captivated their fans by restricting SRH to a mere 113 runs, which they chased down effortlessly in just 10.3 overs, losing only two wickets in the process.
Before the fiery contest, the KKR skipper, Shreyas Iyer, expressed his desire to bowl first, yet it was SRH who won the toss and elected to bat. The decision proved to be a blessing in disguise for KKR as their bowlers rose to the occasion, vindicating Iyer’s preference. Leading this bowling assault was none other than Mitchell Starc, who had already shown his class as the Player of the Match in their previous fixture in Ahmedabad against the same opponents.
Abhishek Sharma faced the challenge of opening SRH’s innings in place of Travis Head due to the events that unfolded in Qualifier 1. It was Starc who took charge with the new ball, initiating a barrage of questions for Abhishek. In a riveting first over, Starc delivered a ball that could easily be called one of the finest of the tournament; it landed around the middle-stump before veering slightly away, catching the SRH opener off guard and hitting the top of the off-stump.
Inspired by Starc’s magical start, Vaibhav Arora was also in top form. He forced SRH’s Travis Head to edge the ball to the wicketkeeper on his very first delivery, confirming KKR’s early dominance by breaking through SRH’s much-feared opening pair, reducing them to a precarious 6 for 2.
Batting runs were hard-earned, given SRH’s early woes and KKR’s unyielding pace attack. With the powerplay intact, SRH finally managed their first boundary in the third over. Nevertheless, Starc was not finished. Returning in the fifth over, he removed Rahul Tripathi, who lofted an attempted big shot to mid-wicket, putting further strain on SRH’s innings.
As the powerplay neared an end, SRH found temporary respite when they scored a much-needed 17 runs off the sixth over, delivered by Arora—and Nitish Reddy nailed a six. However, SRH’s hopes of building a steadier innings were dashed as KKR continued their relentless bowling. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana delivered crucial wicket-taking spells, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy restricted SRH’s scoring opportunities with their economical bowling.
Reddy was soon caught behind off Rana, shortly after the conclusion of the powerplay.
. Russell took down Aiden Markram for 20 with an assist from Starc at long-on. Shahbaz Ahmed succumbed early to Chakaravarthy’s bowling, caught at short fine-leg. The SRH struggles further intensified when Abdul Samad, their designated impact player, was caught behind courtesy of Russell. A decisive blow came from Rana when he bowled Heinrich Klaasen in the fifteenth over, leaving SRH struggling with less than 100 runs to their tally.
Pat Cummins, fighting hard for SRH, managed to pull his team to a total above the three-figure mark, ending as SRH’s top-scorer with 24 runs. Even as he found a life—dropped by Starc at long-on, Cummins eventually found himself caught by the same fielder, closing SRH’s innings in the 19th over.
KKR’s run chase began explosively, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz showcasing an aggressive start by dispatching the second delivery through point for four. Cummins, tasked with the second over for SRH, was greeted unfavorably as Narine launched the first ball for a towering six over mid-wicket. Yet, in search of another maximum, Narine couldn’t sustain his stay, offering a top-edge caught on the leg side.
However, any inklings of doubt within the KKR ranks evaporated swiftly as Venkatesh Iyer took center stage in the next over. With remarkable aplomb, Venkatesh dispatched two consecutive sixes and a four, taking calculated strides down the track to decimate Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s deliveries down the ground.
KKR’s chase continued at a spectacular pace, comfortably reaching fifty within five overs. While Gurbaz remained relatively composed, it was Venkatesh who exuded an urgency that captivated the audience. The final over of the powerplay, bowled by T Natarajan, witnessed a flurry of boundaries, with three fours and a six accentuating KKR’s dominance. Venkatesh’s authority was unyielding, characterized emphatically by his attacking leg-side play as KKR concluded the powerplay on an impressive 72 for 1.
The momentum remained with KKR throughout, with Gurbaz also shifting gears post-powerplay to advance KKR past the 100 mark within nine overs. Before wrapping up the innings, Gurbaz was dismissed for a commendable 39, steering KKR ever closer to their target.
Ultimately, the Iyer duo took center stage, leading KKR to their triumphant championship moment. Venkatesh Iyer reached his half-century admirably off just 24 balls, bringing the target within touching distance. With one final shot, he notched the winning runs as euphoria swept across the field, with KKR players pouring onto the ground to celebrate their crowning glory, marking a historic third IPL title triumph for the franchise.