Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have become the first team in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 to seal their qualification to the playoffs, securing an 18-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) at their home ground, Eden Gardens. This victory marks KKR’s ninth win of the season, highlighting their dominant performance throughout the tournament.
The evening was plagued by persistent rain, leading to the contest being reduced to a 16-overs-a-side affair. MI won the toss and opted to field first, a decision that set the stage for a high-octane clash. The match began with fireworks as Phil Salt, opening for KKR, dispatched the very first ball from Nuwan Thushara over long-off for a colossal six. However, Salt’s aggression cost him his wicket shortly after; attempting to clear fine-leg, he was caught in the deep.
The second over saw Jasprit Bumrah take the ball, and off his very first delivery, Sunil Narine misread a full delivery that swung inwards, dismantling the stumps. KKR found themselves in a precarious position at 10 for two, clearly under pressure. Nonetheless, Venkatesh Iyer adopted the adage that attack is the best form of defense. Despite KKR being on the backfoot, Venkatesh’s aggressive approach provided the momentum they needed. In the fourth over bowled by Bumrah, after an initial injury scare, Venkatesh struck two fours and a six, giving KKR a vital boost.
Shreyas Iyer soon succumbed to an unfortunate dismissal, bowled around his legs by Anshul Kamboj. This brought Nitish Rana, back from injury, to the crease to join Venkatesh. KKR’s innings were marked by frequent loss of wickets, preventing any substantial partnerships from forming. However, crucial contributions were made by the players. Venkatesh’s rapid 21-ball 42 set the tone before he was caught by Suryakumar Yadav off Piyush Chawla in the ninth over.
Andre Russell stepped in next, smashing his second ball for a six over long-on, following in Venkatesh’s aggressive footsteps. Nitish Rana played a significant role during this phase, maintaining tempo by hitting boundaries at regular intervals. Unfortunately, Nitish’s innings were cut short at 33 due to a run-out in the 12th over.
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Late contributions from Russell (24 off 14 balls), Rinku Singh (20 off 12 balls with two sixes), and an unbeaten 17 off eight balls by Ramandeep Singh, which included a six off the last ball, propelled KKR to a total of 157 for seven. Piyush Chawla was the standout bowler for MI, claiming two wickets for 28 runs in his three overs. Bumrah, with two for 39 off four, reclaimed the purple cap, while Kamboj was economical with one for 24 in his three overs.
MI’s chase began explosively with Ishan Kishan leading the charge, racing to 37 off only 17 balls. By the fifth over, MI had accelerated to 59, placing them in a commanding position. Harshit Rana’s fourth over went for 15 runs, and even Sunil Narine was costly, conceding a six and a four in the fifth over. MI appeared on track for victory, courtesy of Ishan’s aggressive start and Rohit Sharma’s complementary rotation of the strike.
In the middle overs, however, KKR’s spinners turned the match on its head with tight, wicket-taking spells. Narine dismissed Ishan for 40 in the seventh over, courtesy of a catch at deep midwicket. Rohit Sharma then fell to Varun Chakaravarthy with a catch at short fine-leg soon after, bringing MI’s score down to 81 for two by the 10th over. Suryakumar Yadav’s presence in the middle offered hope, but Andre Russell dashed MI’s aspirations by having him caught at deep square-leg in the 11th over.
KKR’s bowlers continued to stifle MI, with Chakaravarthy’s superb figures of four overs for 17 runs and two wickets, and Narine’s return of one for 21 in three overs being crucial. Russell’s vital dismissals, including Tim David for a duck, further compounded MI’s troubles.
Tilak Varma kept MI in the chase despite an escalating asking rate, supported by Naman Dhir’s aggressive batting towards the end. However, with 41 runs required from the final two overs, their efforts fell short. Harshit Rana delivered a composed final over, dismissing Dhir and ultimately ending Tilak’s resistance, to seal the win for KKR.
The victory at Eden Gardens was celebrated passionately by the home crowd, marking another memorable moment in a standout season for KKR. The team leaves their home ground with an impressive record of five victories in seven matches.