In a decisive and thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their place in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The stadium was packed with enthusiastic fans, witnessing a formidable performance by KKR as they dismantled SRH, both with the ball and the bat, to confirm their first final appearance since 2021.
Winning the toss, SRH skipper Pat Cummins opted to bat first, putting faith in a batting line-up that had been explosive throughout the season. The mood in the stadium was electric as Mitchell Starc, bowling the first over, sent the SRH opener, Travis Head, back to the pavilion with an exquisite delivery that smashed through the stumps. This appeared to set the tone for the match as KKR gained an early upper hand.
The powerplay overs encapsulated a high-octane drama, with SRH striving to counter-attack while KKR aggressively hunted for wickets. Despite the early setback, Rahul Tripathi offered a glimmer of hope for SRH. Displaying tenacity, he took the aerial route, countering KKR’s pressure tactics. However, the wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Abhishek Sharma fell prey to Vaibhav Arora in the second over, while Starc returned to claim Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed in quick succession during the fifth over, leaving SRH reeling at 39 for four.
Amid adversity, a critical partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Tripathi offered SRH some respite. Over the next six overs, they combined for a 61-run stand. When Sunil Narine entered the attack in the ninth over, Klaasen targeted him ruthlessly, hitting a towering six and unsettling the experienced spinner. Tripathi maintained the tempo, reaching his fifty in the 11th over with a masterfully executed reverse-sweep off Varun Chakaravarthy. His half-century, coming off just 29 balls, was crucial in stabilizing the innings.
The hopes for SRH, however, wavered once again post this partnership. Klaasen’s aggressive innings ended as he holed out for 32. Abdul Samad came in next, launching his innings with an unforgettable six off Narine, and repeated the feat in Narine’s next over. Their momentum was interrupted by a run-out, cutting short Tripathi’s effortful 55, and leaving SRH at a precarious 121 for six.
Captain Pat Cummins was the lone figure from the middle-order who managed to offer some resistance, scoring a valuable 30 off 24 balls.
. His innings included crucial boundaries in the death overs, aiding SRH to inch past the 150-mark. When Cummins was dismissed in the final over, SRH’s inning concluded at 159, a total that appeared sub-par given the formidable KKR batting line-up. Mitchell Starc finished with impressive figures of three for 34, while Chakravarthy was commendable with two for 26, supported by sharp fielding efforts from KKR.
KKR’s response, however, was as aggressive as it was effective. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, opening the batting with Narine, quickly set the tone by driving the second ball for a four. The choice to open with Gurbaz proved to be a masterstroke as he combined with Narine to plunder runs quickly, unsettling the SRH bowlers. Cummins, returning in the second over, was treated to a barrage of boundaries, further escalating the tempo. Even though Gurbaz’s aggressive innings was curtailed at 23, his initial impact had already set a robust foundation for KKR.
Venkatesh Iyer’s arrival at the crease ensured no respite for SRH. Maintaining the initial aggression, he, along with Narine, propelled KKR to 63 runs inside the powerplay. Narine’s cameo concluded at 21, providing time for the Iyer duo, Venkatesh and captain Shreyas, to steer the chase.
The pair brought forth a blend of aggression and finesse, as Shreyas Iyer made the most of the lifelines given by SRH, who had exhausted both their reviews and dropped critical catches. Venkatesh Iyer entertained fans with clean hitting, amassing sixes almost at will, which only worsened SRH’s plight.
Needing 37 off the remaining 51 balls, Iyer reached his half-century in emphatic style, pulling a delivery by Nitish Rana over mid-wicket for six. Shreyas wasn’t far behind, unleashing a series of boundaries to bring up his own fifty off just 23 balls. Fittingly, the KKR captain finished the match in grand fashion with a massive six over long-on, bringing an end to the chase at 13.4 overs and ensuring an easy victory for his team with 38 balls to spare.
As KKR heads into the final with high spirits, SRH will need to regroup quickly as they get another shot at reaching the final. They are set to face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals.