In an electrifying conclusion to the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) seized the title with a powerful all-round performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This victory echoed KKR’s glorious triumph at the same venue in 2012, marking their third overall title win as they stood tall on May 26, 2024.
The final was defined by a sublime execution from KKR, with a clinical bowling effort that reduced SRH to a meager total of 113. In a prompt response, KKR chased down the target in a mere 10.3 overs, losing only two wickets along the way.
At the toss, SRH opted to bat first after winning, pushing KKR captain Shreyas Iyer to express that he would have preferred to bowl. This decision bore fruit, as KKR’s bowlers showcased an exemplary performance, setting the tone for the day. Mitchell Starc, who had been instrumental in the teams’ previous clash in Ahmedabad, spearheaded the bowling unit with exceptional vigor.
For SRH, it was Abhishek Sharma who took the first leap, stepping in to face Starc, leaving Travis Head waiting. Starc, showcasing his trademark skill, delivered a spellbinding first over. With a steely focus, he managed to clean bowl Abhishek, directing the ball to arc gracefully from middle-stump to knock the bails off the top off.
Inspired by Starc’s instant success, Vaibhav Arora stepped in to cause more strain for SRH. As Travis Head took his first strike, Arora’s ball teasingly shaped away, getting just enough of Head’s bat to result in a straightforward catch for the keeper. SRH found themselves reeling at six for two, having lost their two most in-form openers.
The KKR pace unit was relentless, not allowing SRH any room to recover. SRH managed their first boundary in the third over, but the early loss of wickets cast a long shadow over their innings.
Starc returned to further terrorize SRH, dismissing Rahul Tripathi in the fifth over. Tripathi, attempting to launch into a big shot, miscalculated and sent it soaring to mid-wicket for a catch.
Some respite arrived in the form of Nitish Reddy’s assault on Arora during the powerplay.
. Arora leaked 17 runs in the sixth over, including a notable six by Reddy, but it was a brief resurgence as KKR’s other bowlers tightened their grip as the innings progressed.
The mid-innings belonged to the KKR attack, featuring a disciplined spell by Andre Russell and Harshit Rana, effectively chipping away at SRH’s innings. The spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy further suffocated the run flow, conceding few runs.
Once the powerplay concluded, Reddy was caught behind off Rana, and Russell followed up by dismissing Aiden Markram, who was caught brilliantly at long-on by Starc.
Shahbaz Ahmed fell prey to Chakaravarthy’s delivery, caught at short fine-leg after a brief stay. Abdul Samad’s cameo ended as he nicked a ball to be caught behind off Russell.
The final nail was delivered by Rana with the critical wicket of Heinrich Klaasen, bowled clean in the fifteenth over when SRH had yet to breach the 100-run mark.
While Pat Cummins displayed a gutsy fight, trying to salvage dignity for SRH’s innings, it was an uphill battle. Cummins managed to notch up 24 runs, top-scoring for his side, pushing the innings past the three-figure mark, but ultimately fell to a fate he’d nearly escaped earlier – caught by Starc, who had previously dropped him.
With a modest target to chase, KKR’s innings began with a flourish, as Rahmanullah Gurbaz slashed the second delivery through the region past point for four. Narine intensified the aggression, lofting the first ball of the second over for six, but fell soon after, attempting another big hit.
Despite the early loss, Venkatesh Iyer initiated a formidable counter-attack by dispatching CRM Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two sixes and a boundary. His confident down-the-ground shots set the tone, and soon KKR galloped past fifty within the first five overs.
Venkatesh was on an aggressive march, showcasing flair particularly on leg-side plays during the powerplay, wrapping it up emphatically with three fours and a six in T Natarajan’s over to lead KKR to 72 for one.
Gurbaz shifted gears as spinners entered the attack, accelerating the scoring rate to usher KKR beyond the hundred-run milestone by the ninth over. Though he fell short with an innings of 39, his dismissal was only a minor blip en route to the inevitable.
The Iyer duo orchestrated the grand finale, as Venkatesh reached his half-century in just 24 balls. His remarkable knock concluded with him scoring the winning runs, prompting exuberant celebrations as the KKR squad rushed onto the field to revel in their well-deserved IPL 2024 championship victory, marking another significant chapter in their cricketing legacy.