Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) emerged victorious in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, securing the championship with a dominant all-round display against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Echoing their triumph at the same venue in 2012, KKR clinched their third IPL title on May 26, 2024. The team’s stellar bowling performance restricted SRH to a meager 113 runs—a target KKR chased down in just 10.3 overs with eight wickets in hand.
At the toss, SRH opted to bat first after winning the coin flip, a decision KKR captain Shreyas Iyer admitted he would have chosen himself. The KKR bowlers immediately justified Iyer’s preference for a field-first strategy, delivering an impressive display spearheaded by Mitchell Starc. Starc, already the Player of the Match in the teams’ previous encounter in Ahmedabad, set the tone early on.
Opening the bowling, Starc demonstrated his skill by asking probing questions to Abhishek Sharma right from the first over. The fifth delivery of the over turned out to be one of the most remarkable balls of the tournament, pitching on the middle-stump and moving slightly away to hit the top of off-stump, dismissing the prolific Abhishek. This early breakthrough was only the beginning.
KKR’s Vaibhav Arora complemented Starc’s efforts with a sensational delivery that saw Travis Head, facing his first ball, edging to the wicketkeeper—leaving SRH reeling at six for two. Starc and Arora’s initial blitz effectively dismantled SRH’s vaunted top-order, making runs hard to come by and keeping the scoreboard under pressure.
The struggles continued for SRH as Mitchell Starc returned for a second spell, this time dismissing Rahul Tripathi, who tried for a big hit but ended up scooping the ball to mid-wicket. Starc’s early aggression ensured that SRH could only manage their first boundary in the third over, and even that struggle did not last long as further damage was inflicted. The fifth over, once again featuring Starc, ended Tripathi’s stint at the crease.
Some respite arrived for SRH in the sixth over with Nitish Reddy securing 17 runs, including the first six of the innings. However, KKR’s middling bowlers tightened the screws yet again. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana contributed crucial wicket-taking spells while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy ensured the run-rate was stifled with economical overs.
Overwhelmed by KKR’s disciplined bowling, SRH could not maintain a firm foothold. Nitish Reddy’s brief resistance ended when he edged a delivery off Rana, subsequently caught behind.
. Russell then removed SRH’s captain Aiden Markram for 20 runs, sending his tentative shot skyward only for Starc to catch him at long-on. Shahbaz Ahmed soon followed, caught at short fine-leg off Chakaravarthy.
Further difficulties for SRH came when Abdul Samad—their impact player—edged a delivery to Russell, resulting in another dismissal. Harshit Rana dealt a major blow to SRH when he bowled Heinrich Klaasen in the 15th over, preventing the team from even reaching the 100-run mark.
The only semblance of resistance from SRH was showcased by Pat Cummins, who top-scored with a valiant 24 runs. Cummins stretched the innings, especially after being dropped by Starc once. However, irony played its part as Cummins’ attempt ultimately ended when he found Starc at long-on in the 19th over.
With only 113 required to win, KKR’s batting lineup was off to a flying start. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz struck the second ball through point for a boundary, setting the pace. Cummins, trying to avenge his team’s dismal show, faced Narine’s wrath as the first ball of his over was smashed for a six. However, fortunes fluctuated briefly as Narine’s next big attempt led to his dismissal via a top-edge catch on the leg-side.
Any nerves within the KKR camp were quickly settled when Venkatesh Iyer stepped to the crease. His aggressive play was apparent as he hit two sixes and a four in a subsequent over, sending a clear message. By the end of the powerplay, KKR had amassed a commendable 72 for one, significantly surpassing SRH’s run rate.
Gurbaz, initially conservative compared to his partner, shifted gears after the powerplay. The arrival of SRH’s spinners provided him ample opportunity to accelerate. Despite Gurbaz’s dismissal for 39 runs, KKR was well on their victory path with the target nearly in reach.
The Iyer duo—Venkatesh and Shreyas—sealed the win for KKR emphatically. Venkatesh notched up his half-century in a mere 24 balls, hitting the winning runs in the very next over. This victory prompted jubilant celebrations as KKR’s players charged onto the field, marking their momentous third IPL title triumph.