Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have booked their place in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final with a resounding eight-wicket triumph over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1. The high-stakes match, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, saw KKR comprehensively outplay their opponents, restricting SRH to 159 before cruising to the target with 38 balls to spare. This will be KKR’s fourth appearance in the IPL final, their first since 2021, marking a significant milestone for the team.
SRH’s captain, Pat Cummins, opted to bat first after winning the toss, putting his faith in a prolific batting line-up that had entertained fans throughout the season. However, the early overs turned disastrous for SRH, starting with a spectacular dismissal in the first over. Mitchell Starc, a key weapon in KKR’s bowling arsenal, sent the second ball of the innings crashing into Travis Head’s stumps, setting an ominous tone for the contest.
The initial powerplay overs were nothing short of dramatic. A determined SRH batting outfit met an equally aggressive KKR bowling attack head-on. Amid the chaos, Rahul Tripathi stood out as a beacon of hope for SRH, showcasing a fearless approach by taking on the bowlers aerially. Nonetheless, SRH encountered major setbacks as they lost three more wickets within the first five overs. Andre Russell caught Abhishek Sharma in the second over off Vaibhav Arora’s bowling, and Starc returned in the fifth over to claim two more wickets—Nitish Reddy was caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, while Shahbaz Ahmed chopped a delivery onto his stumps for a golden duck. By the end of the powerplay, SRH were reeling at 39 for four.
SRH’s hopes were revived through a vital partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Tripathi, who added 61 runs over the next six overs. When Sunil Narine was introduced in the ninth over, Klaasen did not hesitate to go on the offensive, smashing a huge six straight down the ground and bringing back some momentum to the SRH innings. Tripathi reached his fifty in the 11th over with a deft reverse sweep off Varun Chakaravarthy, achieving this milestone in just 29 balls.
Despite this promising middle-order surge, SRH’s innings faltered once more. Klaasen’s aggressive knock ended when he was caught by Rinku Singh for 32. Abdul Samad arrived with a bang, hitting his first ball for a massive six off Narine and following it up with another six in the 14th over. However, a mix-up with Tripathi led to the latter being run out for a well-played 55, leaving SRH in a precarious position at 121 for six.
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Pat Cummins displayed some fighting spirit towards the end of the innings, adding crucial runs with a 24-ball 30, helping SRH surpass the 150-run mark. Cummins found the boundaries consistently in the final overs, even denting Starc’s figures with a four and a six off the bowler’s last deliveries. However, he was dismissed in the concluding over, closing SRH’s innings at 159. KKR’s bowlers collectively excelled, with Starc picking up three for 34 and Chakaravarthy delivering an economical two for 26, supported by sharp fielding efforts that created multiple opportunities.
In response, KKR started the chase as if they were set to surpass a target well beyond 200. There was a strategic reshuffling in their batting order, with Gurbaz opening alongside Narine. Gurbaz immediately made his presence felt, hitting the second ball for four. When Cummins bowled the second over, Narine responded with two fours, followed by Gurbaz’s top-edged six over the third-man boundary. The aggressive start put SRH under pressure, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan brought in to restore balance. Natarajan managed to provide SRH with a breakthrough, dismissing Gurbaz for 23.
However, SRH’s troubles continued as Venkatesh Iyer walked in and kept up the aggressive tempo. KKR amassed 63 runs in the powerplay. Narine, after a breezy cameo of 21, was dismissed by Cummins, but not before denting the SRH bowling attack.
The duo of Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer then took charge, navigating KKR towards the target with remarkable composure and aggression. Despite SRH’s valiant efforts, including early squandered reviews and dropped catches, the Iyer pair kept the required rate under control while not holding back their attacking instincts. Venkatesh Iyer brought up his half-century off just 28 balls with a six, and Shreyas followed suit with his fifty off 23 balls, sealing the match with a six.
KKR’s emphatic win now sets them up for the grand finale. Meanwhile, SRH will have another shot at reaching the final as they await the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals. The stage is set for a thrilling climax to the TATA IPL 2024 season.