Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) powered through to secure a place in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, after dismantling Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The emphatic victory marked KKR’s return to the IPL final for the fourth time, and the first since their last appearance in 2021.
The match commenced with SRH captain Pat Cummins winning the toss and opting to bat first. SRH, known for their aggressive batting throughout the season, aimed to set a formidable target. However, Mitchell Starc, who took the new ball for KKR, quickly disrupted SRH’s plans. In the second ball of the match, Starc clean-bowled Travis Head, giving KKR a dream start.
The powerplay turned out to be a dramatic affair, reflecting the tense atmosphere of the knockout match. SRH was determined to counter KKR’s aggression but kept losing wickets at crucial moments. Rahul Tripathi, one of SRH’s key players, tried to spearhead the SRH innings with bravery, opting for big shots despite the mounting pressure. However, SRH lost three more crucial wickets early on. Abhishek Sharma was brilliantly caught at cover by Andre Russell off Vaibhav Arora in the second over. Starc returned in the fifth over to strike twice, dismissing Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed, leaving SRH reeling at 39 for four in 5 overs.
It was at this precarious juncture that a glimmer of hope emerged for SRH. Rahul Tripathi joined hands with Heinrich Klaasen to put together a crucial 61-run partnership over the next six overs. They aggressively took on the KKR bowlers with Klaasen smashing a huge six off Sunil Narine, as SRH aimed to steer the innings back on track. Tripathi’s intent and strokes paid off as he reached his fifty in just 29 balls with a reverse sweep off Chakaravathy.
However, the innings staggered again after Klaasen’s departure, caught at deep mid-wicket by Rinku Singh for 32. Abdul Samad displayed his attacking intent by hitting Narine for massive sixes. But a mix-up with Tripathi resulted in the latter being run out for a well-made 55, once again derailing SRH’s momentum.
Pat Cummins offered some late resistance with a gritty 30 off 24 balls, guiding the team past the 150-run mark while wickets continued to fall. Cummins found the boundaries in the slog overs, slightly spoiling Starc’s figures by hitting back-to-back boundaries off his final two deliveries.
. Eventually, SRH’s innings concluded at 159, with Cummins being dismissed in the last over. KKR’s bowling performance was largely a team effort, though Mitchell Starc’s figures of three for 34 and Varun Chakaravarthy’s economical two for 26 stood out. The fielders also supported the bowlers well, making significant contributions through their sharp fielding.
KKR’s chase began on an aggressive note. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sunil Narine, opening the batting, wasted no time in making their intent clear. Gurbaz took on the second ball of the innings for a boundary, while Narine struck two consecutive fours off Cummins in the second over. Gurbaz further set the tone with a top-edged six over third-man. However, T Natarajan provided a breakthrough when Gurbaz, attempting a big shot, was caught for 23 in the fourth over.
Even then, SRH could not catch a break. Venkatesh Iyer came in with aggressive intent and kept the required run rate under control. KKR kept the momentum by attaining 63 runs during the powerplay. Narine’s stay at the crease was cut short as he holed out to deep square-leg, but not before contributing a quick 21.
What followed was a masterclass in batting from the Iyer duo, Shreyas and Venkatesh. They maintained an efficient run rate while demonstrating their natural attacking instincts. Despite SRH’s best efforts, including losing both their reviews early and missing a couple of opportunities via dropped catches, the duo stayed solid. Venkatesh took charge initially, clearing the ropes with ease, followed by Shreyas’s attacking strokes as the partnership flourished.
Venkatesh secured his half-century with a majestic six over mid-wicket, bringing up his milestone in 28 balls. Not to be outdone, Shreyas smashed a six over square-leg and followed it with boundaries to bring up his own fifty in just 23 balls. Shreyas capped off the chase in style, hitting a colossal six over long-on to secure the victory for KKR with 38 balls to spare, finishing at 161 for two.
KKR’s dominance ensures their place in the title clash, while SRH will have another go in the Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals.