Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have become the first team to secure their spot in the playoffs of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This milestone was achieved with an 18-run triumph over the Mumbai Indians (MI) at their iconic home ground, Eden Gardens. This victory marks their ninth win of the season and further cements their dominant form as the league progresses.
The match, already gripping with its high stakes, faced a twist of fate as persistent evening rain led to a reduction in the game to a 16-overs-a-side affair. MI, upon winning the toss, decided to field first. The action began with fireworks right from the start. Phil Salt, who opened for KKR, made an explosive beginning by dispatching the very first ball bowled by Nuwan Thushara over long-off for a six. Unfortunate for Salt, his aggressive intent led to his downfall later in the same over as he was caught at fine leg, trying to hit another big shot.
KKR faced an early setback with their score reading 10 for two, following Sunil Narine’s dismissal off the first ball by Jasprit Bumrah. Narine, opting to leave a full delivery, saw his stumps shattered, revealing KKR’s early crisis.
Despite these early setbacks, Venkatesh Iyer showcased the principle that sometimes, offense is the best defense. Facing Bumrah, he sustained an injury scare but quickly regained composure to steer KKR back into the match. Venkatesh managed to hit two fours and a six in the same over, marking it as a pivotal moment. However, another blow followed soon with Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal, bowled around his legs by Anshul Kamboj. Nitish Rana, making a return from injury, joined Venkatesh in the middle, trying to stabilize the innings.
Throughout KKR’s innings, partnerships eluded them as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Yet, crucial contributions defined their innings. Venkatesh Iyer scored a brisk 21-ball 42, providing momentum before being caught by Suryakumar Yadav off Piyush Chawla in the ninth over. Entering the fray, Andre Russell showcased his power-hitting immediately by smashing a six off only his second ball. Meanwhile, Nitish Rana maintained steady progress but was run out for 33 in the 12th over, a significant setback.
Despite these challenges, KKR managed to put up a competitive total.
. Russell provided a quick-fire 24 off 14 balls, Rinku Singh contributed 20 off 12 balls with two sixes, and Ramandeep Singh’s unbeaten 17 from eight balls, including a six off the last ball, took KKR to a total of 157 for seven in their 16 overs. Piyush Chawla emerged as MI’s most successful bowler, claiming two wickets for 28 runs in his three overs. Bumrah also picked up two wickets for 39 runs off four overs, regaining the purple cap, while Kamboj was economical with one wicket for 24 runs in his three overs.
In pursuit of 158, MI’s innings started explosively. Ishan Kishan delivered a flurry of boundaries, racing to 37 off 17 balls, and MI scored 59 in the first five overs. Harshit Rana bore the brunt, conceding 15 runs in the fourth over while Narine was not spared either, as he was hit for a six and four in the fifth over. Rohit Sharma, MI’s skipper, also began in attacking fashion, hitting Vaibhav Arora for a six early on to aid the fast start.
However, KKR’s spin arsenal brought them back into contention. Narine dismissed the dangerous Ishan Kishan for 40 in the seventh over, caught at deep midwicket. Rohit Sharma followed suit soon after, with Narine catching him at short fine-leg off Chakaravarthy’s delivery. By the 10th over, MI had slowed down to 81 for two, with run-scoring becoming difficult.
KKR continued to tighten their grip as Suryakumar Yadav’s dismissal by Russell in the 11th over extinguished MI’s hopes further. Despite a commendable effort from Tilak Varma, who fought valiantly until the end, MI’s momentum was stifled by KKR’s disciplined bowling. Chakaravarthy especially shone with exceptional figures of four overs for only 17 runs and two wickets, alongside Narine’s economical spell of one wicket for 21 runs in three overs. Russell further hampered MI’s chase by dismissing Tim David for no score.
With the asking rate escalating, Naman Dhir’s aggressive batting revived MI’s hopes in the penultimate overs. Nevertheless, with 22 needed off the final over, Harshit Rana delivered a standout performance. He claimed crucial wickets, dismissing Dhir and ending Tilak Varma’s resistance, sealing KKR’s victory.
Eden Gardens erupted in celebration, witnessing another stellar performance in KKR’s memorable season. With five wins out of seven matches at home, KKR has firmly established their dominance and now looks forward to the playoffs. This victory not only strengthened their position but also set a high benchmark for the remaining teams in the league.