In a sensational display of cricket, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) emerged victorious in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, claiming their third title in a remarkable fashion. Taking place at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, KKR outclassed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with both ball and bat, ultimately securing a comprehensive victory by eight wickets and 10.3 overs to spare. The historic win mirrors their earlier triumph at the same venue back in 2012, adding another glorious chapter to the team’s legacy.
The day began with SRH captain winning the toss and opting to bat first, a decision KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer welcomed, saying he would have bowled first anyway. With the ball in their hands, KKR’s bowlers put on a disciplined and aggressive show right from the start. Mitchell Starc, in particular, was exceptional, setting the tone early by snaring the dangerous Abhishek Sharma with a standout delivery that squared the SRH opener, hitting the top of off-stump.
Vaibhav Arora quickly followed Starc’s lead, dismissing Travis Head with a clever delivery that found the edge and carried comfortably to the wicketkeeper. This early double-strike left SRH reeling at 6 for 2, a position they struggled to recover from as boundaries were hard to come by against the relentless KKR attack.
Starc returned to claim another key scalp, that of Rahul Tripathi, who attempted an ambitious shot only to sky the ball to mid-wicket. Despite a brief counter-attack wherein Nitish Reddy managed the first six of SRH’s innings, the Knight Riders continued to mount pressure. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana delivered incisive spells, inflicting further damage, backed up by Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, who contained SRH with economical bowling.
The wickets fell at regular intervals, with SRH’s middle order collapsing under the mounting pressure. Aiden Markram’s struggles epitomized SRH’s woes, as he fell for 20, attempting a slog off Russell’s bowling, caught by a poised Starc at long-on. Shahbaz Ahmed’s innings ended prematurely, caught at short fine-leg off Chakaravarthy.
. The procession continued as Abdul Samad and Heinrich Klaasen were sent back in quick succession, leaving SRH precariously perched under 100 runs deep into their innings.
Pat Cummins, fighting alone towards the end, offered a glimpse of resistance and top-scored with 24, but it wasn’t enough to propel SRH to a more competitive total. Ironically, Cummins, who was dropped earlier by Starc at long-on, ended SRH’s innings when he once again found Starc’s safe hands in that same position in the 19th over. SRH concluded their innings at 113, a total that never seemed likely to trouble KKR given the latter’s strong batting lineup.
In pursuit of the modest target, KKR’s innings got off to a brisk start, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz getting the scoreboard ticking with a boundary off the second ball. The aggressive approach was apparent when Sunil Narine smacked Cummins for a six in the second over. Although Narine departed soon after, attempting another big shot, any nerves in the KKR camp were quickly settled by Venkatesh Iyer’s assured presence at the crease.
Iyer launched a fierce assault, particularly targeting Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whom he blasted for two sixes and a four in one over. His authoritative batting saw KKR cross the fifty-mark in mere five overs, establishing a strong foothold in the game. Gurbaz played a calm supporting role as Iyer dismantled the SRH bowlers with ease, selecting Natarajan’s over in the powerplay to unleash a flurry of boundaries that brought KKR to 72 for 1.
After the powerplay, Gurbaz shifted gears effortlessly against the spinners, ensuring KKR maintained their dominance. Even though he fell for 39 runs, Iyer’s calculated aggression ensured that KKR was within touching distance of victory. Not long after, Iyer brought up his half-century off just 24 balls, highlighting his influential role in the chase.
In the end, it was fitting for Iyer to hit the winning runs, as KKR crossed the target in the 11th over. The joyous KKR squad stormed onto the field to celebrate their well-deserved victory, marking a triumphant conclusion to the IPL 2024 with their third coveted title, solidifying a legacy of excellence on the Indian cricketing stage.