The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) cruised to victory as they overpowered the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets in the highly anticipated Qualifier 1 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This commanding win propelled KKR to their fourth IPL final, marking their first appearance since 2021. The match unfolded at the magnificent Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where KKR’s bowlers effectively stifled SRH, limiting them to a total of 159. The KKR batsmen then exhibited a masterclass in chasing down the target, sealing the victory with considerable ease.
At the start of the match, SRH captain Pat Cummins opted to bat first upon winning the toss. SRH, known for their formidable batting prowess throughout the season, was expected to set a challenging target. However, Mitchell Starc of KKR had other plans. On only the second ball of the match, Starc delivered a stunning delivery that dismantled Travis Head’s stumps, setting the tone for what was to come.
The powerplay period was a rollercoaster of emotions, with SRH determined to play aggressively and KKR relentlessly attacking for wickets. Amidst this intense battle, Rahul Tripathi emerged as the beacon of hope for SRH. He stood his ground, opting for aggressive shots and fearlessly taking on the KKR bowlers. Nevertheless, at the other end, chaos ensued as SRH lost three more wickets in quick succession: Abhishek Sharma was caught by Andre Russell off Vaibhav Arora, and Starc struck again in the fifth over, claiming the scalps of Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed, reducing SRH to a precarious 39 for four.
A crucial recovery partnership followed as Heinrich Klaasen joined forces with Tripathi. Over the next six overs, they added a formidable 61 runs. Notably, Sunil Narine was dispatched for 18 runs in one over, with Klaasen launching a massive six down the ground. Despite these efforts, SRH’s innings remained on shaky ground. Klaasen was eventually caught by Rinku Singh, and a miscommunication between Tripathi and Abdul Samad resulted in Tripathi’s run-out for 55, leaving SRH at 121 for six.
SKRH’s captain, Pat Cummins, was among the few batters who stood firm, contributing a vital 30 runs off 24 balls. He played with determination, guiding SRH past the 150-run mark despite the continuous fall of wickets.
. Cummins took on the KKR bowlers in the closing stages, even spoiling Starc’s otherwise impeccable figures with a late flurry of boundaries. Nonetheless, the innings came to a close at 159, thanks to Starc’s three for 34 and Varun Chakaravarthy’s economical two for 26. The KKR fielders were nothing short of spectacular, exuding energy and commitment, which allowed their bowlers to execute their plans effectively.
In pursuit of 160, KKR launched their innings with an aggressive mindset, as if they were chasing a much larger total. To mix things up, Rahmanullah Gurbaz partnered Sunil Narine at the top. Making an immediate impact, Gurbaz drove the second ball for four. Both batters attacked the SRH bowlers relentlessly, with Cummins being dispatched for boundaries right from the outset and SDLK’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan unable to contain the aggression. Gurbaz eventually fell for 23 when he attempted to hit over covers, but his departure did little to stall the KKR onslaught.
The in-form Venkatesh Iyer joined Narine and further improved the run rate, maintaining the momentum and ensuring KKR reached 63 in the powerplay. Shortly thereafter, Narine departed after a cameo of 21 runs, holing out to deep square-leg off Cummins’s bowling. This left the Iyer duo, Venkatesh and Shreyas, to take KKR home.
Controlling the required run rate skillfully, the Iyers never shied away from playing their natural game, despite SRH’s missed opportunities and losing both of their reviews early. Shreyas particularly benefited from a couple of dropped catches, going on to showcase his effortless strokeplay alongside Venkatesh, who struck a quickfire half-century with audacious strikes over the ropes. As the target came closer, Venkatesh brought up his fifty with a big six over mid-wicket, followed by Shreyas hitting consecutive boundaries and sealing his half-century in just 23 deliveries.
Shreyas put the finishing touches by smashing a towering six over long-on, leading KKR to victory within just 13.4 overs, with 38 balls to spare. The emphatic triumph reflected KKR’s dominance over SRH and booked them a place in the TATA IPL 2024 final.
While the Kolkata Knight Riders eagerly prepare for the impending title clash, Sunrisers Hyderabad remain in contention and will face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals for another shot at reaching the grand finale.