In a historic evening at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) emerged victorious to claim the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 title. The team showcased an exceptional all-round display to overcome Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in what was a highly anticipated final match. With this victory, KKR secured their third IPL trophy, a feat they last achieved in 2014, and notably at the same venue where they won their maiden title in 2012.
The toss played a pivotal role in setting the tone for the final, with SRH electing to bat first after winning it. KKR captain Shreyas Iyer expressed that he would have chosen to bowl, a decision that seemed justified by his team’s performance. From the outset, the KKR bowling attack, led by the fiery Mitchell Starc, exhibited sheer dominance. Starc, who had been a standout performer against SRH in their prior encounter in Ahmedabad, carried his momentum into the final.
The game commenced with SRH’s Abhishek Sharma taking strike against Starc, who was quick to assert his authority. Delivering one of the standout deliveries of the tournament, Starc bowled Abhishek with a ball that pitched around middle-stump and deviated just enough to hit the top of off-stump. This early breakthrough provided KKR with a confidence boost that Vaibhav Arora capitalized on immediately. Arora further dismantled SRH’s lineup by dismissing Travis Head on his very first delivery, caught behind in a spectacular display of bowling finesse.
The SRH team found themselves reeling at six for two, and KKR maintained pressure through tight lines and lengths from their bowlers throughout the powerplay. SRH could only manage their first boundary in the third over, a clear indication of the immense pressure exerted by the KKR bowlers. Mitchell Starc was not done yet; he returned in his second spell to take down Rahul Tripathi, who succumbed to a mistimed shot, caught at mid-wicket.
Despite a brief stint of aggression from Nitish Reddy, who launched the first six of the SRH innings in the sixth over, SRH struggled to build any significant partnerships. In the middle overs, KKR’s bowlers Andre Russell and Harshit Rana further dismantled SRH’s batting order with crucial wickets, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy maintained strict control over the scoring rate with their economical spells.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a score of 20 before falling to Russell’s cunning delivery, caught by Starc at long-on.
. As the innings progressed, SRH’s middle and lower order failed to put up any substantial defense against a relentless KKR attack. The loss of Heinrich Klaasen, bowled by Rana in the 15th over, marked a significant setback, ensuring SRH could not reach even the modest 100-run mark until late into their innings.
Pat Cummins, along with a little support from the tail-enders, managed to push SRH past the three-figure threshold with a valiant top-score of 24 runs. However, even his efforts could not carry SRH beyond 113 runs by the end of their innings. Ironically, the innings were terminated when Cummins finally succumbed, offering a catch to Starc at long-on.
KKR’s chase was a masterclass in aggressive batting, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz setting the pace from the start with a confidently hit four on the second ball of the innings. The chase was further accelerated by Sunil Narine’s brief but impactful cameo, hitting a six off Pat Cummins before being dismissed in the same over. However, any hints of pressure on KKR were quickly alleviated by Venkatesh Iyer’s dazzling strokes. Displaying flair and strategic intent, Iyer smashed two sixes and a four in the next over, sending the message that KKR was in a hurry to finish the proceedings.
The KKR batsmen continued unabated, with their fifty coming up in under five overs. Despite Gurbaz taking a more measured approach, Venkatesh was on a rampage, especially targeting the leg-side boundary with ease. T Natarajan’s over in the powerplay was specifically noteworthy as it saw three fours and a six, pushing KKR to a strong position of 72 for one at the end of the powerplay.
Following the powerplay, Gurbaz shifted gears to escalate the run rate against the SRH spinners, ensuring that KKR crossed the 100-run mark inside nine overs. Although Gurbaz was eventually dismissed for 39, KKR was already on the brink of victory.
As the finishing touches were applied in a chase that lasted merely 10.3 overs, Venkatesh Iyer’s aggressive yet composed half-century, scored off just 24 balls, sealed the win. With the winning strokes, Iyer not only guided KKR to their gloriest moment but also secured their place as three-time IPL champions, sparking jubilant celebrations on the field among their players and fans alike.