The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) claimed their third TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) title with an all-round dominant performance against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Remarkably, it was at this very venue back in 2012 that KKR secured their maiden title, and they echoed that historic success on May 26, 2024. This time, KKR’s bowlers were instrumental in restricting SRH to a modest total of 113, which KKR chased down effortlessly in just 10.3 overs, losing only two wickets in the process.
During the toss, KKR’s captain Shreyas Iyer expressed a preference for bowling first. His choice was validated by the aggressive and precise bowling shown by his team, starting off with Mitchell Starc’s phenomenal over. A key figure in their previous meeting in Ahmedabad, Starc continued his superb form.
Opening the bowling, Starc faced Abhishek Sharma, who took the strike instead of Travis Head. Starc was in fantastic rhythm from the get-go, consistently challenging Abhishek with perfect line and length. Off the fifth ball of the first over, Starc delivered a beauty that pitched around the middle stump and moved away slightly. Abhishek, one of SRH’s most consistent openers, was left bewildered as the ball clipped the top of off stump.
Buoyed by Starc’s excellent start, the young Vaibhav Arora followed suit. When Travis Head finally took to the crease, Arora managed to get one to shape away from the left-hander, who could only edge it to the wicketkeeper. With SRH reeling at six for two, KKR had already dealt them significant blows by dismissing one of the league’s most destructive opening duos.
SRH struggled to find their footing early on due to the relentless pressure applied by KKR’s bowlers. The first boundary for SRH came only in the third over, a testament to the tight bowling. Starc, undeterred, returned to dismiss Rahul Tripathi in his second over. Tripathi’s ambitious shot only managed to go sky-high, landing safely in the hands of a fielder at mid-wicket.
The only sliver of respite for SRH during the powerplay came when they managed to score 17 runs in the sixth over bowled by Arora. Nitish Reddy contributed the first six of the innings, but SRH’s troubles were far from over. During the middle overs, KKR’s bowlers continued to tighten the screws. The experienced Andre Russell and Harshit Rana turned in excellent performances, further destabilizing SRH’s innings. Notably, spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy were brilliant, maintaining exceptional economy rates.
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Post-powerplay, Rana struck by having Reddy caught behind, while Russell dismissed Aiden Markram for a mere 20 runs, who could only find Starc at long-on. Shahbaz Ahmed’s brief stay at the crease was ended by Chakaravarthy, who had him caught at short fine-leg.
As pressure mounted, Abdul Samad, brought in as an impact player, too fell victim to Russell, caught behind. Perhaps the most significant blow came when Rana bowled Heinrich Klaasen in the 15th over. By then, SRH hadn’t even crossed the 100-run mark.
Pat Cummins, demonstrating some grit, fought hard to drag SRH past the century mark. Finishing as the team’s top-scorer with 24 runs, Cummins lengthened the innings, particularly after being dropped by Starc at long-on. However, the innings drew to a close in an ironic twist when Cummins, attempting another big hit, was caught by Starc again at long-on, ending SRH’s innings in the 19th over.
KKR’s chase was off to an explosive start, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz hitting a boundary off the second ball. Facing Cummins in the next over, Sunil Narine smashed a six over mid-wicket but was later caught trying another big shot. Any lingering jitters KKR might have had quickly vanished when Venkatesh Iyer came to the crease. Iyer hit two magnificent sixes and a four in quick succession, signaling KKR’s clear intent.
Reaching the fifty-run mark inside five overs, KKR’s chase was brisk. While Gurbaz took a more measured approach, Venkatesh Iyer was relentless. The powerplay ended with KKR at a formidable 72 for one, largely due to Iyer’s aggressive batting.
Post-powerplay, Gurbaz increased the run rate even further as spinners took charge. KKR crossed the 100-run mark within nine overs, with Gurbaz being dismissed for an impressive 39 runs as KKR neared their target.
The Iyer duo took the team to the finals’ finishing line when Venkatesh smashed his half-century off just 24 balls, leading to a fitting conclusion. He struck the winning runs in the next over, triggering wild celebrations among the KKR players as they rushed onto the field to commemorate their third IPL title.
In conclusion, KKR’s victory was marked by a comprehensive team effort. The bowlers set the stage with an exquisite display, while the batsmen finished the job with relentless aggression and precision. This win cements KKR’s status as one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, adding another chapter to their legacy.