In a thrilling TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) showcased a masterful display of cricket to overpower the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Fans were treated to a spectacular show on May 26, 2024, as KKR sealed their third IPL title with an exceptional all-round performance, echoing their maiden victory at the same venue back in 2012. The triumphant KKR side, led by captain Shreyas Iyer, successfully limited SRH to a modest score of 113 runs, a target they chased down with remarkable ease in just 10.3 overs, securing victory with eight wickets in hand.
The final showdown began with SRH winning the toss and electing to bat first, a decision that seemed promising at the start but quickly unraveled as KKR’s bowling attack took center stage. Shreyas Iyer expressed a preference to bowl first, a sentiment that resonated throughout the team as they displayed lethal prowess and control on the field. Mitchell Starc, a standout performer from KKR’s prior meeting with SRH in Ahmedabad, delivered a sterling performance that set the tone for the rest of the innings.
Starc took the new ball with precision and intent, immediately testing SRH’s opening batsman, Abhishek Sharma. The fifth delivery of Starc’s first over was nothing short of spectacular; it curved sharply away from Abhishek, catching him off guard and dismantling his stumps, marking the beginning of SRH’s struggles. Vaibhav Arora then unleashed his own brand of magic, dismissing the formidable Travis Head on the very first ball he faced. The dismissal left SRH rattled at six for two, as KKR’s bowling duo dismantled the tournament’s most lethal opening pair.
The early jolts delivered by KKR made run-scoring an arduous task for SRH. Stalwart bowlers Starc and Arora maintained pressure during the powerplay, conceding the first boundary of SRH’s innings only in the third over. Hardened by a resolve to capitalize on their terrific start, KKR saw Starc once again striking gold, dismissing Rahul Tripathi in the fifth over, as the SRH batsman succumbed to a mistimed shot at mid-wicket.
Despite the brief respite offered by a fruitful sixth over in which Nitish Reddy struck the first six of SRH’s innings, SRH’s troubles compounded.
. The middle overs witnessed a consolidated effort by KKR bowlers, with Andre Russell and Harshit Rana leading with disciplined, aggressive spells that further destabilized SRH’s batting order. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy were instrumental in curbing the run rate with their miserly, strategic bowling.
SRH’s lower-middle-order faced a precarious situation as Reddy was caught behind off Rana soon after the powerplay concluded. Andre Russell added to SRH’s woes, removing Aiden Markram for just 20 runs as the latter holed out to Starc at long-on, further tightening KKR’s control over the match. SRH’s quest for stabilizing proved fruitless as Shahbaz Ahmed and Abdul Samad fell cheaply to the collective brilliance of Chakaravarthy and Russell, respectively. Heinrich Klaasen’s dismissal by Rana in the 15th over was pivotal, leaving SRH floundering with less than 100 runs on the scoreboard.
In their final struggles, Pat Cummins emerged as SRH’s leading scorer with a valiant 24, shepherding SRH to a three-figure total. Ironically, it was Cummins’ attempt to prolong SRH’s innings that brought it to a close, as Starc, positioned strategically at long-on, caught him in the 19th over.
KKR’s chase was nothing short of a masterclass in precision and assertiveness. Rahmanullah Gurbaz announced KKR’s intent early by executing a deft shot through point for a boundary in the second ball. Despite Pat Cummins inducing a nervous start by dismissing Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer quelled any brewing apprehensions with a dynamic display of power hitting. His series of aggressive strokes, including several maximums off Bhuvneshwar Kumar that sent the ball sailing over the ground, underscored KKR’s imminent triumph.
As KKR reached their half-century within the first five overs, assisted by a flurry of boundaries and dominance by Iyer, the win seemed inevitable. Gurbaz complemented Iyer’s aggression by intensifying his own assault against SRH’s spin at the conclusion of the powerplay, ensuring KKR crossed the 100-run mark without delay. With Venkatesh Iyer at the helm, racing to his half-century in just 24 balls, the celebratory victory was seen through as he struck the adorned winning runs, propelling the KKR camp onto the field in jubilant celebrations, securing their rightful place in the annals of IPL glory.