In a thrilling showdown at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) demonstrated their prowess with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). This decisive win secured KKR’s place in the final of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, marking their fourth appearance in the league’s final stage and their first since 2021.
The atmosphere was electric as fans filled the stadium with anticipation. After winning the toss, SRH captain Pat Cummins elected to bat first, a decision backed by the team’s formidable line-up that had proven to be a crowd favorite throughout the season. The game took off with Mitchell Starc, the pace spearhead for KKR, ready to bowl to Travis Head. In just the second delivery, Starc delivered a stunning ball that uprooted Head’s stumps, setting the tone for an exhilarating encounter.
SRH’s determination was palpable as they aimed to counterattack, but KKR was relentless in their pursuit of wickets. The powerplay was rife with excitement and tension. Rahul Tripathi stood out amidst the rising pressure, fearlessly taking the aerial route to counter the aggressive KKR attack, while the SRH batting line-up faltered at the other end. In quick succession, SRH lost crucial wickets: Abhishek Sharma fell for a catch at cover by Andre Russell off Vaibhav Arora’s bowling; Starc returned in the fifth over to have Nitish Reddy’s top-edge caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Shahbaz Ahmed was bowled on his first delivery. The scoreboard reflected a precarious 39 for four in the fifth over, leaving SRH in dire straits.
However, a rejuvenating partnership unfolded between Klaasen and Tripathi over the next six overs, adding 61 runs and providing a glimmer of hope for SRH. The duo relentlessly attacked, and when Sunil Narine came on to bowl the ninth over, Klaasen unleashed a series of strokes that yielded 18 runs, signaling SRH’s intent to put up a challenging total. Tripathi’s fifty was a demonstration of skill under pressure, achieved with a deft reverse sweep off Chakaravarthy in the 11th over, completing it in just 29 balls.
Despite this spirited fightback, SRH’s innings began to unravel once more. Klaasen was eventually caught at deep mid-wicket by Rinku Singh for 32, and the entry of Abdul Samad briefly reignited hope with his aggressive display, hitting Narine for two mammoth sixes. However, a mix-up with Tripathi resulted in the latter’s unfortunate run-out for 55, leaving SRH at a precarious 121 for six. The remaining overs saw only Pat Cummins showcasing resilience, scoring 30 off 24 balls as he pushed SRH past the 150-run mark despite the continuous fall of wickets.
. His spirited innings ended in the final over as SRH concluded with a total of 159.
KKR’s bowlers deservedly took credit, with Starc standing out for his figures of three for 34, while Chakaravarthy maintained pressure with a frugal two for 26. The KKR team showcased exemplary fielding efforts that complemented their bowlers’ exploits.
In pursuit of 159, KKR’s chase was aggressive and effective from the outset. A reshuffled order saw Gurbaz opening the innings alongside Narine, and the pair set a blistering pace. Gurbaz was particularly impactful in his first appearance of the season, hitting boundaries early on. When Cummins bowled the second over, Narine responded with consecutive fours, and Gurbaz further capitalized with a fortuitous top-edge for six, maintaining the high run-rate.
Even as T Natarajan provided SRH with a breakthrough by claiming Gurbaz for 23, KKR never relented. Venkatesh Iyer entered with clear intent, ensuring the momentum stayed unabated. By the end of the powerplay, KKR had amassed 63 runs, and Narine’s brief but explosive stint ended at 21.
The baton was then passed on to Venkatesh and Shreyas Iyer, who combined flair with composure to steer KKR towards the target. Shreyas benefited from a couple of dropped catches, denying SRH any respite. Venkatesh grabbed the spotlight with a series of powerful sixes, eventually bringing up his half-century with a massive hit over mid-wicket in just 28 balls.
As the game drew to a close, Shreyas displayed his versatility, executing boundaries that kept the run-chase on track. He reached his milestone with an array of muscular strokes, including a sequence of a six and a four over the leg side to arrive at his fifty in 23 balls. KKR’s captain fittingly sealed the victory with a colossal six over long-on, concluding the innings at 13.4 overs with 38 balls remaining and eight wickets intact, highlighting their dominance.
As KKR prepares for the impending final, SRH will regroup and aim for a comeback in a crucial face-off against the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, offering them another chance to vie for the championship.