The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have added another glittering chapter to their illustrious history by clinching the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 title. In a display of sheer dominance, KKR dismantled the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This marked a significant return to a ground where KKR had previously tasted IPL glory back in 2012. On May 26, 2024, they repeated their success story with a comprehensive all-round performance to lift their third IPL trophy.
The night began with SRH winning the toss and opting to bat first, a decision that quickly turned regrettable as KKR’s bowlers came out with an intensity and precision that left SRH reeling. KKR captain Shreyas Iyer expressed during the toss that he would have preferred to bowl first anyway, a call that seemed to predict the course of the match. The KKR bowlers delivered on their captain’s confidence, especially Mitchell Starc, who led the charge with another standout performance.
From the very first ball, the KKR bowlers set the tone. Mitchell Starc, who had been instrumental in the team’s previous encounters, struck early by removing the prolific Abhishek Sharma with a delivery that can only be described as near perfect. The ball pitched around middle stump and slightly moved away, catching Sharma off-guard and hitting the top of off stump. Following this, Vaibhav Arora added his own bit of magic by dismissing Travis Head, who edged to the wicketkeeper on his very first ball.
With SRH reduced to six for two, the runs were hard to come by, and the KKR bowlers ensured that the pressure was unrelenting. Rahul Tripathi tried to steady the ship but was deceived by Starc again, skying a ball to mid-wicket and falling for an expansive shot. Although SRH managed to get 17 runs off the sixth over delivered by Arora, thanks to a six from Nitish Reddy, the early damage was already too significant to recover from.
As the middle overs unfolded, KKR continued to tighten the screws. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana picked up crucial wickets, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy bowled vital economical spells to restrict the run flow. Reddy’s dismissal shortly after the powerplay, caught behind off Rana, further plunged SRH into trouble.
. At this point, captain Aiden Markram attempted to rebuild the innings but fell for 20, hitting a ball straight to Starc at long-on off Russell’s bowling.
The collapse continued as Shahbaz Ahmed, who was caught at short fine-leg off Chakaravarthy’s bowling, and Abdul Samad, who was caught behind off Russell, returned to the pavilion. Perhaps the most decisive moment came when Heinrich Klaasen was bowled by Rana in the 15th over, with SRH failing to cross the 100-run mark by then.
Pat Cummins offered some resistance towards the end of the innings, scoring a fighting 24 and ensuring that his team at least made it to three figures. Cummins benefited from a drop by Starc at long-on but eventually found him at the same position to end the innings in the 19th over, as SRH were all out for a paltry 113.
Chasing a modest target, KKR started swiftly with Rahmanullah Gurbaz driving the second ball through point for four. Despite an early setback with Narine getting out, Venkatesh Iyer quickly took charge. Iyer knocked two sixes off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, which set the tone for the chase. Gurbaz played a more subdued role early on, while Iyer pushed the pace. By the end of the powerplay, KKR had raced to 72 for one, with Iyer being particularly severe on leg-side deliveries.
With KKR’s fifty coming inside five overs and the target within sight, the eventual victory seemed inevitable. Gurbaz altered his approach after the powerplay, accelerating the score against the spinners, and despite his eventual dismissal for 39, the victory was merely a formality.
Venkatesh Iyer’s dynamic knock culminated in a brisk half-century, reached off just 24 balls. It was he who scored the winning runs, completing a resounding win in just 10.3 overs with eight wickets to spare. As the ball sailed to the boundary, the KKR players poured onto the field to celebrate their third IPL title with jubilation, marking yet another memorable chapter in their franchise history.