Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made history in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 by becoming the first team to secure a spot in the playoffs. In an electrifying match at their iconic home ground, Eden Gardens, KKR clinched a memorable 18-run victory against the formidable Mumbai Indians (MI), marking their ninth win of the season.
The game underwent a significant format change due to persistent evening rain, reducing it to a 16-overs-a-side affair. MI won the toss and opted to field first, setting the stage for a high-octane clash. The match began with a bang as Phil Salt hammered the first ball, bowled by Nuwan Thushara, for a towering six over long-off. However, Salt’s fireworks were short-lived as he attempted to go over fine-leg later in the over but was caught by the fielder in the deep. The next over saw Jasprit Bumrah’s lethal delivery swing in and dismantle Sunil Narine’s stumps, leaving KKR perilously placed at 10 for two.
Venkatesh Iyer, facing a daunting task, exemplified the adage that attack is the best form of defense. Despite the early setbacks, Iyer counter-attacked with flair. In the fourth over, bowled by Bumrah, despite an initial injury scare, Iyer charged with two boundaries and a six, providing crucial momentum to KKR. However, Shreyas Iyer’s innings was cut short soon after, dismissed around his legs by Anshul Kamboj. Nitish Rana, making a comeback from injury, then joined Venkatesh in the middle, aiming to steady the ship.
As KKR proceeded, they struggled to build substantial partnerships, losing wickets at regular intervals. However, individual contributions kept KKR in the game. Venkatesh’s swift 21-ball 42 was pivotal in setting the tone before he was caught by Suryakumar Yadav off Piyush Chawla in the ninth over. Andre Russell entered the scene with a bang, smashing his second delivery over long-on for six. Meanwhile, Nitish Rana maintained a steady pace, hitting boundaries consistently until a run-out ended his innings at 33 in the 12th over.
KKR’s middle-order given a boost by quickfire cameos. Russell’s 24 off 14 balls, Rinku Singh’s 20 from 12 balls featuring two sixes, and an unbeaten 17 off eight balls by Ramandeep Singh which included a last-ball six, propelled KKR to a challenging total of 157 for seven. Chawla emerged as MI’s top bowler, finishing with two for 28 in his three overs.
. Bumrah also put in a commendable performance, taking two for 39 from his four overs and reclaiming the purple cap. Kamboj was notably economical, yielding only 24 runs in his three overs.
In response, MI got off to a blistering start courtesy of Ishan Kishan. MI raced to 59 in just five overs, with Kishan scoring an explosive 37 off only 17 balls. Harshit Rana’s fourth over went for 15 runs, and even Narine, bowling the fifth, faced a battering. MI seemed poised for victory as Kishan continued his onslaught, while Rohit Sharma, after an early six off a free-hit bowled by Vaibhav Arora, rotated the strike efficiently.
KKR’s spinners engineered a remarkable turnaround in the middle overs with economical bowling and timely wickets. Narine dismissed Kishan, caught at deep midwicket for 40 in the seventh over. Rohit followed soon after, hitting one to short fine-leg where Narine took the catch off Varun Chakaravarthy’s bowling. By the 10th over, MI had slowed considerably, reaching 81 for two. Hopes rested on Suryakumar Yadav, but Russell dashed those hopes when Suryakumar was caught at deep square-leg in the 11th over.
KKR’s bowlers continued to stymie MI’s chase with crucial breakthroughs. Chakaravarthy delivered a stellar spell, taking two for 17 in his four overs. Narine bowled three overs for 21 runs, taking a wicket, while Russell chipped in by dismissing Tim David for no score, a crucial wicket for KKR.
Tilak Varma offered resistance for MI, keeping them in contention as the required rate climbed. With 41 needed from the final two overs, Naman Dhir’s aggressive batting sparked MI’s hopes once more. However, with 22 required off the last over, Harshit Rana delivered under pressure, taking a key wicket and sealing the victory by ending Tilak’s valiant fight.
This victory was celebrated with fervor by the Eden Gardens crowd, further cementing KKR’s stellar run in this season. KKR bids farewell to their home ground with a commendable record of five victories in seven matches, entering the playoffs with momentum and confidence.