In a stunning display of cricketing prowess, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title and their first in a decade, defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets at Chepauk Stadium on Sunday.
KKR’s victory was anchored by fiery bowling spells from Mitchell Starc and Andre Russell, complemented by a solid half-century from Venkatesh Iyer. The Sunrisers, known for their explosive batting, struggled against KKR’s pace attack and were restricted to a modest 113 runs.
The match began with KKR’s bowlers dominating SRH’s batsmen. Mitchell Starc, acquired for a record-breaking ₹24.75 crores, set the tone with an impressive spell, claiming 2-14. He dismantled SRH’s top order, removing Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi early. Vaibhav Arora also contributed by dismissing Travis Head for a duck.
Andre Russell’s middle-over magic saw him take three crucial wickets for just 19 runs in 2.3 overs, further crippling SRH’s innings. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy provided excellent support, ensuring SRH never recovered. Aiden Markram and Pat Cummins offered some resistance, scoring 20 and 24 runs respectively, but SRH’s innings concluded at 113 in 18.3 overs.
Chasing 114, KKR faced an early setback when Sunil Narine fell for six runs. However, Venkatesh Iyer’s aggressive batting quickly turned the tide. Partnered with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Iyer launched a counter-attack, smashing 20 runs off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s over and helping KKR reach 50 in just 4.1 overs.
The momentum continued as Iyer and Gurbaz dominated SRH’s bowlers. Despite Gurbaz’s eventual dismissal for 39, KKR remained in control. Iyer’s unbeaten 52, along with a quick contribution from skipper Shreyas Iyer, saw KKR reach the target in 10.3 overs, finishing at 114/2.
The final scores were:
Sunrisers Hyderabad:113 all out in 18.3 overs (Pat Cummins 24, Aiden Markram 20; Andre Russell 3-19)
Kolkata Knight Riders:114/2 in 10.3 overs (Venkatesh Iyer 52*, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 39; Pat Cummins 1-22, Shahbaz Ahmed 1-24)
This decisive victory not only brought the IPL trophy back to Kolkata after ten years but also showcased the depth and talent within the KKR squad, marking a memorable end to the 2024 IPL season.
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