The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured a dominant eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, booking their place in the final. The pulsating contest at the renowned Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad saw KKR’s bowlers putting up an impressive display, restricting SRH’s formidable batting line-up to a modest score of 159. With great aplomb, KKR’s batters then chased down the target effortlessly, sealing a spot in the IPL final for the fourth time, their first appearance since 2021.
The electrifying match began with SRH captain Pat Cummins winning the toss and opting to bat first, relying on their explosive and crowd-pleasing batting unit to post a challenging total. However, KKR’s formidable bowling attack had other plans. Mitchell Starc, spearheading the KKR attack, commenced proceedings with the new ball against SRH’s Travis Head. It only took Starc two deliveries to dismantle Head’s stumps, setting the tone for the Knights.
During the initial powerplay, a thrilling tug-of-war unfolded between the two teams: SRH striving to regain momentum, while KKR relentlessly pursued wickets. Amid the chaos, Rahul Tripathi emerged as the beacon of hope for SRH, counterattacking with impressive flair. Confidently taking risks, Tripathi refused to be bogged down by the mounting pressure. However, the rest of the SRH top order crumbled around him. The second over saw Abhishek Sharma depart after Andre Russell’s acrobatic catch off Vaibhav Arora’s delivery, followed by a double strike from Starc in the fifth over that removed Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed, reducing SRH to a precarious 39 for four within five overs.
The innings seemed to be spiraling out of control when a crucial partnership between Tripathi and Heinrich Klaasen reignited SRH’s innings. Over the next six overs, the pair added 61 vital runs, taking on KKR’s Sunil Narine and dispatching him for 18 in the ninth over, a strategic statement of intent by SRH. Tripathi reached his half-century in style, reverse-sweeping Varun Chakaravarthy for four. His innings, executed under immense pressure, took a mere 29 balls.
However, the rekindled hope was short-lived as SRH’s innings faltered once again. Klaasen was dismissed for 32, caught at deep mid-wicket by Rinku Singh. Abdul Samad entered with aggressive intent, immediately launching Narine for a massive six. He continued his assault but a sudden miscommunication with Tripathi led to a run-out, ending Tripathi’s valiant 55-run knock and leaving SRH vulnerable at 121 for six.
In the subsequent overs, it was SRH captain Pat Cummins who displayed grit, scoring a crucial 30 off 24 balls and pushing the total past 150, even as wickets kept tumbling around him.
. Cummins’ late blitz included boundary blows in the slog overs that marred Starc’s otherwise laudable figures. Despite his efforts, Cummins fell in the final over, and SRH concluded their innings at 159. For KKR, it was a collective bowling effort that stood out, with Starc claiming three for 34 and Chakaravarthy providing an economical spell of two for 26. Fielders backed the bowlers admirably, exhibiting exceptional commitment and opportunistic awareness.
KKR’s run chase started with the urgency of a pursuit well above 200 runs. A tactical modification saw Rahmanullah Gurbaz open the innings alongside Sunil Narine. Making a statement right from the start, Gurbaz drove the second ball for four. Narine greeted Cummins with a boundary barrage in the second over, and a fortunate edge from Gurbaz resulted in six over third-man. The relentless aggression continued, with SRH’s bowlers struggling to contain the onslaught. Gurbaz eventually fell for 23 after attempting a skyward strike off T Natarajan.
SRH found no respite as Venkatesh Iyer joined the fray, keeping KKR’s momentum intact as they amassed 63 during the powerplay. Narine’s 21-run cameo ended at deep square-leg via Cummins, but the Iyers, Shreyas and Venkatesh, combined forces to see the chase through. Efficiently controlling the required rate, the pair played with calculated aggression, capitalizing on SRH’s fielding errors and missed reviews.
Venkatesh reached his half-century with a six over mid-wicket, accomplished in just 28 deliveries. Shreyas followed suit, heralding his fifty with an authoritative display of boundaries. As KKR closed in on the finish line, Shreyas concluded the game in style, dispatching a massive six over long-on. Finishing the game in a dominating 13.4 overs with 38 balls to spare, KKR underscored their supremacy on the day.
With this victory, KKR look ahead to the IPL 2024 final, filled with optimism and momentum. Meanwhile, SRH retains a chance to redeem themselves, set to confront the victor of the Eliminator clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, eager to clinch a spot in the crucial finals showdown.