Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) overpowered Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets to book their berth in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed a commanding performance by KKR, whose bowlers restricted a dangerous SRH batting line-up to a modest total of 159. The KKR’s batsmen then chased down the target with ease, securing their fourth appearance in the IPL final, their first since 2021.
On this highly anticipated day, SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first, banking heavily on their aggressive batting line-up that had been a crowd-pleaser throughout the season. With Mitchell Starc steaming in to bowl against Travis Head right from the first over, KKR announced their intentions. Starc’s second ball shattered Head’s stumps, setting the tone for a match that quickly pivoted in KKR’s favor.
The powerplay overs witnessed a mix of aggressive intent and pressure-induced errors. SRH seemed geared to fight back, with their batsmen showing signs of aggression, yet KKR’s bowlers were relentless in their pursuit of wickets. Rahul Tripathi held up one end, taking the aerial route and scoring at a brisk pace. However, SRH’s top order crumbled around him. Abhishek Sharma was caught in the covers off Vaibhav Arora in the second over. Starc returned in the fifth over, inflicting a double blow by removing Nitish Reddy with a top-edge caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Shahbaz Ahmed with a first-ball dismissal, chopping onto his stumps. SRH found themselves in deep trouble at 39 for four in just five overs.
A brief resurgence came in the form of a partnership between Tripathi and Heinrich Klaasen. Over the next six overs, they added 61 runs, attacking bowlers with fervor. Klaasen, particularly brutal on Sunil Narine in the ninth over, hit a huge six down the ground, setting the tone for a potential comeback. Tripathi reached his fifty in the 11th over, achieved in just 29 balls. Despite this, KKR struck back quickly. Klaasen was caught for 32, and Abdul Samad came in with a mission, immediately hitting Narine for a massive six off his first ball. However, a mix-up led to Tripathi’s run-out for 55, leaving SRH at a precarious 121 for six.
Captain Pat Cummins attempted to steer the innings to a respectable total, scoring 30 off 24 balls. He found the boundaries regularly, even disrupting Starc’s figures with a four and a six in the final over.
. Cummins was eventually dismissed in the last over as SRH’s innings concluded at 159. Starc’s impressive figures of three for 34 and Varun Chakaravarthy’s economical two for 26 stood out in KKR’s disciplined fielding effort.
KKR’s chase began as though they were setting a target themselves. Rahmanullah Gurbaz opened the batting with Narine. Gurbaz, playing his first match of the season, instantly made an impression, hitting the second ball of the innings for a boundary. Narine followed suit with a flurry of boundaries against Cummins in the second over and continued his aggressive stance throughout. However, Gurbaz’s attempt to go over cover resulted in his dismissal for a quickfire 23.
Despite the loss, KKR maintained their momentum. Venkatesh Iyer joined Narine and continued the high scoring rate, with KKR amassing 63 runs in the powerplay. Narine’s cameo ended at 21, but Venkatesh, along with Shreyas Iyer, carried the team forward with aplomb. Venkatesh was particularly explosive, clearing the ropes with ease and eventually bringing up his half-century in just 28 balls.
Shreyas provided superb support, unleashing his array of shots after settling in. A couple of dropped catches by SRH further eased the pressure on KKR. Both batsmen complemented each other, with Venkatesh’s powerful hitting and Shreyas’s finesse.
As the target drew near, KKR’s victory seemed inevitable. Venkatesh pulled one over mid-wicket off Nitish to bring up his fifty. Shreyas too brought up his milestone in quick succession, eventually finishing off the game in style with a massive six over long-on. KKR reached the target in just 13.4 overs, sealing an emphatic win with 38 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand.
As KKR celebrated their dominant victory, SRH were left to ponder their missed opportunities. They still have a chance to make it to the final as they will face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals. However, KKR’s comprehensive performance has sent a clear message to their competitors as they prepare for the title clash.