Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) overpowered Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets to book their place in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed a dominating performance by KKR, whose bowlers excelled in restricting a potent SRH batting line-up to a modest total of 159. Subsequently, the KKR batters carried their team effortlessly through the chase, securing their fourth appearance in the final and their first since 2021.
On this crucial day, SRH’s captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first. SRH was relying on their aggressive batting order that had captivated audiences throughout the season. The opening showdown had Mitchell Starc taking the new ball and facing Travis Head. In a dramatic beginning, Starc bowled a magnificent delivery on his second ball that uprooted Head’s stumps, giving KKR an immediate breakthrough.
The powerplay period was nothing short of cinematic for the audience, filled with a mix of aggression and meticulous strategy. SRH aimed to play their natural, flamboyant brand of cricket, while KKR’s bowlers were single-minded in their quest for wickets. Amidst the chaos, Rahul Tripathi shone as a beacon of resilience for SRH, taking the aerial route courageously when KKR’s bowlers applied relentless pressure. However, SRH struggled at the other end as three more wickets tumbled. Abhishek Sharma was caught at cover by Andre Russell off Vaibhav Arora in the second over. Starc struck again in the fifth over, earning a double blow. Nitish Reddy top-edged a ball, giving a straightforward catch to Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Shahbaz Ahmed, promoted to No. 6, found no respite as he chopped a ball onto his stumps on the first delivery he faced. SRH found themselves in a precarious position at 39 for four within five overs.
Despite the turmoil, a crucial partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Rahul Tripathi stitched the innings back to coherence. Over the next six overs, the pair added 61 crucial runs to the total. Sunil Narine’s introduction in the ninth over brought drama when Klaasen smashed him for a gigantic six down the ground in a fiery display that yielded 18 runs off the over. Tripathi kept the momentum up by reaching his half-century in the 11th over, lofting Chakaravarthy’s delivery for a boundary. His fifty came off just 29 balls, underlining a high strike rate even under pressure.
However, just when it seemed SRH had gained some stability, their innings wavered once again. Klaasen was dismissed at deep mid-wicket by Rinku Singh for a well-made 32. Enter Abdul Samad who, full of intent, smacked his first ball off Narine for a towering six. Samad continued in the same vein, slamming another maximum off Narine’s next over.
. But a mix-up with Tripathi led to the latter’s run-out, ending his gritty innings at 55. SRH reeled at 121 for six.
In the death overs, it was only Pat Cummins who showed any significant resistance. The SRH skipper made a fighting 30 off 24 balls, pushing the team’s total past 150 even as the wickets kept falling. Cummins managed to spoil Starc’s figures by hitting a four and six off consecutive deliveries in the final over. He was eventually dismissed, and SRH concluded their innings at 159. While it was a collective effort by KKR’s bowlers, Starc was the standout performer with figures of 3 for 34, while Chakaravarthy was economical with his 2 for 26. The KKR fielders also showed impeccable commitment and created several opportunities.
KKR’s chase began almost like they were set to go after a mammoth total. Rahmanullah Gurbaz joined Sunil Narine at the top of the order, a move that paid immediate dividends as Gurbaz smashed the second ball for four. Pat Cummins was welcomed in the second over with two powerful boundaries from Narine, and Gurbaz continued the assault with an edged six over third-man. This early aggression set the tone, even as SRH’s T Natarajan managed to get a breakthrough by dismissing Gurbaz for 23 in the fourth over when he attempted a big shot over cover.
Despite losing Gurbaz, the aggression didn’t die down. Venkatesh Iyer arrived at the crease with determination, maintaining the scoring rate KKR had set during the powerplay, which concluded with 63 runs for the loss of one wicket. Narine’s brisk innings of 21 came to an end when he was caught at deep square-leg off Cummins.
What followed was a masterclass in chase management by the Iyer duo, Venkatesh and Shreyas. With the required run rate well under control, they played sound cricket while not letting scoring opportunities skip by. Displaying immense composure under pressure, Venkatesh brought his fifty up with a six over mid-wicket off Nitish. Shreyas, not to be left behind, secured his own fifty in style, hitting a six and a boundary off Travis Head. He then finished the chase emphatically, smashing a massive six over long-on, which not only brought up his fifty off just 23 balls but also sealed the match for KKR in just 13.4 overs.
KKR achieved victory with a staggering 38 balls to spare, losing only two wickets in their pursuit. This win showcased their dominance, catapulting them into the final while SRH now look forward to another opportunity. They will face the winner of the Eliminator match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals for a chance to contest the final.
The comprehensive nature of KKR’s win marks them as favorites as they prepare for the title clash, while SRH will need to regroup and come back stronger in their quest for IPL glory.
