Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have added another feather to their cap by securing the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 title, overpowering Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with an exceptional all-round performance in the final held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The venue must hold a special place in KKR’s heart, as it was here in 2012 that they first tasted IPL glory. On May 26, 2024, history repeated itself, marking their third triumph in the prestigious league.
The match began on an auspicious note for KKR when SRH won the toss and opted to bat, a decision that KKR’s captain Shreyas Iyer would have taken had he won the toss. The bowlers, fully aware of the belief their captain had in their abilities, delivered a masterclass in bowling, restricting a potent SRH batting lineup to a mere 113 runs.
Mitchell Starc, who had been the Player of the Match in the two teams’ prior encounter in Ahmedabad, set the tone early. Taking the new ball against Abhishek Sharma, Starc quickly disrupted the SRH innings. With the fifth ball of his first over, he produced what could be termed one of the deliveries of the tournament: a perfect ball that pitched around middle-stump and shaped away from Abhishek Sharma, knocking off the top of the off-stump. This initial setback for SRH wasn’t all; Vaibhav Arora added to their woes. As Travis Head faced his first delivery from Arora, he edged it to the wicketkeeper, making the scoreboard look grim at six for two.
The early dismissals of SRH’s opening pair created an air of despondency, as runs became increasingly hard to come by. KKR’s decision to persist with their opening bowlers during the powerplay paid off handsomely. SRH managed to score their first boundary only in the third over, a testament to KKR’s tight grip on the game. Starc, unrelenting in his assault, returned for the fifth over and dismissed Rahul Tripathi, who mistimed a shot and was caught at mid-wicket.
SRH found some respite with a 17-run over bowled by Arora, which included their first six, hit by Nitish Reddy. However, as the innings progressed into the middle overs, KKR bowlers like Andre Russell and Harshit Rana tightened the noose further. Both produced wicket-taking spells, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarty managed to keep the run rate in check with their economical bowling.
The continuous fall of wickets hampered any momentum SRH hoped to build. Nitish Reddy was caught behind off a delivery from Rana soon after the powerplay, and Russell valuable contributed by dismissing Aiden Markram who scored 20 runs before being caught by Starc at long-on.
. Shahbaz Ahmed fell prey to Chakaravarthy, being caught at short fine-leg early in his innings. Abdul Samad, brought in as the impact player, was yet another casualty to Russell’s sharp bowling, getting caught behind.
The final nail in the coffin came when Rana bowled Heinrich Klaasen in the 15th over, leaving SRH struggling to reach 100. Pat Cummins provided some resilience and top-scored with 24 runs. After a dropped catch by Starc, Cummins managed to carry SRH’s innings a bit further. Yet, irony favored Starc when Cummins’ innings ended at 113 runs, being caught at long-on in the 19th over.
The run-chase for KKR began on an aggressive note. Rahmanullah Gurbaz struck a four on the second ball through point. Pat Cummins, trying to lead from the front, was met by a fierce response from Sunil Narine, who hit the first ball of the second over over mid-wicket for six. However, in an attempt to replicate the shot, Narine was caught off a top-edge. This did little to discourage KKR as Venkatesh Iyer showcased his might with two sixes and a four in the next over, setting a strong pace.
KKR raced to their fifty within five overs, with Gurbaz playing a supportive role and Venkatesh exhibiting an array of aggressive strokes, particularly on the leg-side. By the end of the powerplay, KKR had amassed a commanding 72 for one. Post powerplay, Gurbaz picked up the pace as spinners came into the attack, bringing KKR past the 100-run mark in under nine overs. Although Gurbaz was dismissed for 39 runs, the victory was already within sight for KKR.
The Iyer-duo – Shreyas and Venkatesh – ensured there were no further hiccups. Venkatesh Iyer reached his half-century in a mere 24 balls, and it was he who sealed the win with the final runs, sparking celebrations as KKR players stormed onto the field. The Kolkata Knight Riders thus crowned themselves the IPL champions for the third time, continuing their legacy in the world’s most celebrated T20 league.