Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have powered their way into the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after a resounding eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad served as the battlefield where KKR delivered a masterful performance, first stifling SRH’s potentially explosive batting lineup to 159 runs, and then cruising through the chase to secure their fourth IPL final appearance, the first since 2021.
The day started with SRH captain Pat Cummins opting to bat first after winning the toss, backing his aggressive batting unit that has thrilled fans throughout the season. The opening over set the stage with Mitchell Starc taking the new ball against Travis Head. In a dramatic second delivery, Starc bowled a jaffa that shattered Head’s stumps, getting KKR off to a flying start.
The powerplay was packed with riveting cricket – SRH aiming to assert their style, while KKR relentlessly hunted for wickets. Amidst this intense battle, Rahul Tripathi emerged as a beacon of hope for SRH, countering KKR’s pressure with audacious strokes, including several aerial shots. Nevertheless, SRH’s situation turned dire as they lost three more wickets rapidly. Abhishek Sharma fell in the second over, caught at cover by Andre Russell from Vaibhav Arora’s delivery. Starc returned for the fifth over and inflicted a double blow: Nitish Reddy’s top-edge was caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Shahbaz Ahmed, coming in at No. 6, was bowled first ball. At the end of five overs, SRH were precariously placed at 39 for four.
The tide shifted momentarily as Heinrich Klaasen joined Tripathi at the crease, and together they stitched a partnership of 61 runs over the next six overs. Their aggressive intent was evident when Klaasen launched a counterattack against Sunil Narine, driving him for 18 runs in his first over, including a massive six. Tripathi, showcasing resilience, reached his fifty off just 29 balls with a reverse-sweep off Varun Chakravarthy. However, SRH’s revival hit another snag as Klaasen was caught by Rinku Singh at deep mid-wicket for 32.
Abdul Samad walked out with palpable intent, hammering Narine for consecutive sixes. Yet, a miscommunication with Tripathi caused the latter to be run out for 55, leaving SRH teetering at 121 for six.
. In the subsequent overs, SRH could find little reprise, with only Cummins showing resistance and ensuring SRH crossed the 150-mark with a fighting 30 off 24 balls. Despite boundary strikes in the slog overs, SRH saw wickets tumble, and Cummins’ dismissal in the final over marked the end of their innings at 159. A collective bowling effort from KKR saw Starc taking three for 34 and Chakravarthy being notably economical with two for 26, supported by sharp fielding throughout.
KKR’s chase started with an aggressive intent, as Rahmanullah Gurbaz replaced usual opener Venkatesh Iyer to partner Sunil Narine. Gurbaz, playing his debut match of the tournament, made an immediate impact. He blasted a four off the second ball, followed by Narine’s explosive start against Cummins, who was driven for consecutive boundaries. Gurbaz’s aggressive play continued into the third over, and although Natarajan managed to secure his wicket for 23 in the fourth over, KKR had already laid a solid foundation.
Venkatesh Iyer then joined Narine and the duo kept the momentum going, ensuring KKR scored 63 in the powerplay. Despite Narine being dismissed shortly after for 21, KKR remained unfazed. Venkatesh and Shreyas Iyer then took over, methodically bringing down the target while also displaying instinctive aggressive play. SRH, already under pressure, stumbled further with early review losses and missed catch opportunities, particularly of Shreyas Iyer.
Venkatesh reached his half-century with an imposing mid-wicket six off Nitish Reddy, scoring 28-ball fifty. Shreyas mirrored this aggressive approach, soon smashing a sequence of boundaries, including two sixes, to bring up his fifty off just 23 balls. The KKR captain then sealed the victory emphatically with a towering six, finishing the match in 13.4 overs, highlighting KKR’s dominance by winning with 38 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand.
As KKR gears up for the title clash, SRH will have another opportunity to reach the finals. They are set to face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, keeping their championship hopes alive.