In a thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their place in the IPL 2024 final with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). This commanding performance reflects KKR’s impressive campaign this season as they advanced to the final for the fourth time and the first time since their 2021 appearance.
The match began with SRH captain Pat Cummins winning the toss and opting to bat first, a decision made to exploit their formidable batting strength that has dazzled audiences all season. Little did they know that KKR had their plans meticulously set. Mitchell Starc, leading KKR’s bowling attack, immediately made an impact by dismissing Travis Head with a brilliant delivery that sent the stumps cartwheeling off the very second ball. This marked a promising start for KKR.
As the powerplay unfolded, it became a gripping contest. SRH aimed to regain momentum and keep up their aggressive playstyle, while KKR relentlessly pursued breakthroughs. Amidst this battle, Rahul Tripathi emerged as a beacon of hope for SRH. He displayed valiant resistance, taking calculated risks and choosing aerial shots to relieve the pressure. However, other SRH batsmen fell prey to the relentless KKR bowling attack. Abhishek Sharma fell victim to Vaibhav Arora’s clever delivery, caught by Andre Russell at cover. Mitchell Starc then returned to haunt SRH further by removing Nitish Reddy through a top edge caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and followed it immediately by getting Shahbaz Ahmed to chop onto the stumps. SRH found themselves struggling at a precarious 39 for four within five overs.
In their moment of desperation, Heinrich Klaasen partnered with Tripathi to stitch a 61-run alliance that momentarily raised SRH’s hopes. Klaasen targeted Sunil Narine, dispatching him for 18 runs in a single over, including a towering six, indicating SRH’s intent to counterattack aggressively. Tripathi continued his fine form, reaching his half-century off just 29 deliveries with a crafty reverse sweep off Varun Chakaravarthy.
Unfortunately for SRH, their fightback soon faltered. Klaasen, having scored 32, was caught at deep mid-wicket by Rinku Singh. Following him was Abdul Samad, who showed instant aggression by hammering his first ball for a six off Narine, a clear statement of intent. Yet, a critical mix-up caused Tripathi to be run out at 55.
. From there, SRH’s innings staggered as wickets kept falling. Captain Cummins attempted to shepherd the lower order, adding a valiant 30 runs off 24 balls to help SRH’s score exceed 150. However, Starc came back strong, and despite some late boundaries, SRH concluded their innings at 159. Starc ended with figures of three for 34, while Chakaravarthy proved economical with two for 26. The fielding unit complemented the bowlers exceptionally, backing them with agility and precision.
KKR’s response was aggressive from the outset, signaling their intent to chase down the total with ease. Rahmanullah Gurbaz shared opening duties with Sunil Narine, marking his first appearance this season by striking the second ball for a boundary. Narine capitalized on early pace, taking Cummins on with back-to-back fours, followed by an audacious Gurbaz top edge that sailed over for a six. Despite Gurbaz falling to T Natarajan for 23 while attempting another expansive shot, KKR remained undeterred.
Venkatesh Iyer took to the field with determination, continuing their pulsating start alongside Narine. KKR amassed 63 runs during the powerplay, underlining their aggressive chase. Narine departed for a quickfire 21, falling to Cummins yet again, but not before leaving a significant imprint on the chase.
Post Narine’s dismissal, the duo of Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer methodically steered KKR towards victory. Despite SRH’s efforts, they struggled with lost reviews and missed opportunities, failing to arrest KKR’s momentum. Venkatesh Iyer’s blistering 50 off 28 balls was crowned by a textbook pull over mid-wicket. Shreyas followed suit, reaching his milestone after dispatching Travis Head for consecutive boundaries and a towering six into the stands. He eventually sealed the match in style with another mighty six over long-on, wrapping up the chase in just 13.4 overs with 38 balls to spare.
This dominant display propels KKR into the IPL 2024 final confidently, while SRH must regroup and prepare for another opportunity in the playoff fixtures against the winner of the Eliminator featuring Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals. KKR’s commanding victory sends a clear message of their intent to dominate and reclaim the IPL throne.