In a spectacular performance at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their third TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) title by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with convincing authority. This remarkable triumph marks a significant moment in IPL history, as KKR had previously claimed their first championship at the same venue in 2012. On May 26, 2024, they returned to Chennai to replicate that success, underscoring their dominance in the league with an eight-wicket victory in the final match.
The final began with SRH winning the toss and opting to bat first, a decision that would soon turn into a challenging endeavor due to KKR’s relentless bowling attack. KKR’s captain, Shreyas Iyer, had expressed a preference for bowling first, and his team justified this decision with a masterclass in bowling, led by the towering Mitchell Starc. Known for his exceptional pace and accuracy, Starc immediately put SRH’s formidable batting line-up on the back foot.
Starc, already recognized for his outstanding showing in the previous encounter between these two teams in Ahmedabad, bowled with flair and precision from the very first over. Abhishek Sharma, replacing Travis Head as the opening batsman, was given a stern test from the onset. Starc’s delivery in the first over was pivotal; an expertly pitched ball on the middle stump that swung just enough to uproot Abhishek’s off-stump, thus removing him and giving KKR an early breakthrough.
Buoyed by this initial success, KKR’s Vaibhav Arora followed suit, adding to SRH’s woes by claiming the prized wicket of Head on his opening delivery. Arora delivered a peach of a ball that veered away from Head, enticing an edge that was comfortably caught behind by the keeper. This double blow left SRH reeling at six for two within the first couple of overs.
Struggling to regain their footing after this early setback, SRH found boundaries hard to come by. KKR’s disciplined bowling attack continued to apply pressure throughout the powerplay. It wasn’t until the third over that SRH managed to score their first boundary. However, Starc was not to be outdone and returned in the fifth over to claim the wicket of Rahul Tripathi, who mistimed an aggressive shot to be caught at mid-wicket.
While SRH attempted to mount a resistance by scoring 17 runs in the sixth over off Arora, including a powerful six from Nitish Reddy, the KKR bowlers were unrelenting.
. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana further tightened the screws with their incisive bowling in the middle overs. The spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy added to SRH’s misery by delivering miserly spells that constrained the run flow.
The crucial wicket of Reddy soon after the powerplay marked the beginning of the end for SRH. His dismissal by Rana, followed by Russell sending Aiden Markram back to the pavilion for a mere 20 runs, shattered SRH’s hopes of setting a challenging total. Shahbaz Ahmed was another casualty, falling victim to Chakaravarthy’s crafty bowling.
The decisive moment came when Abdul Samad, being utilized as an impact player, was caught behind off Russell’s cunning delivery, leaving SRH’s innings in tatters. The knockout blow was delivered by Rana when he bowled Heinrich Klaasen in the 15th over, leaving SRH without having crossed the 100-run mark.
Pat Cummins, with a determined effort, fought valiantly to push SRH past the three-figure mark and ended up as the team’s highest scorer with 24 runs. Despite surviving a scare when Starc dropped him at long-on, Cummins could not prevent the inevitable. The climax of the innings arrived when Cummins found himself caught by Starc at long-on, wrapping up SRH’s innings at a paltry 113.
KKR’s chase began with a flourish as Rahmanullah Gurbaz elegantly dispatched the second ball through point for a boundary. Even though Sunil Narine fell early in the innings after attempting an aggressive shot, any uncertainties were swiftly cast aside when Venkatesh Iyer took charge.
Venkatesh Iyer’s onslaught included dazzling strokes, highlighted by two commanding sixes and a four in a single over, signaling KKR’s intent to finish the game swiftly. As the powerplay concluded with an impressive 72 for one, KKR’s victory appeared inevitable.
Gurbaz, who initially played the anchor role, gained momentum post-powerplay and assisted in steering KKR closer to the target. After his dismissal for 39, Venkatesh took center stage again, reaching his half-century in just 24 balls. It was fitting that he struck the winning runs soon after, as the KKR team erupted into celebration on the field, marking their emphatic triumph and the completion of an extraordinary IPL season.