KATHMANDU: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) delivered a commanding performance at the Narendra Modi Stadium, overpowering Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by eight wickets to secure their place in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final.
This victory marks KKR’s fourth appearance in the IPL final and their first since 2021.
After winning the toss, SRH captain Pat Cummins opted to bat first, banking on their aggressive batting lineup to set a challenging target.
However, KKR’s bowlers quickly seized control of the match. Mitchell Starc struck early, dismissing Travis Head in the first over, setting the tone for a disciplined bowling performance.
SRH struggled in the powerplay, losing four key wickets within the first five overs.
Starc, along with Vaibhav Arora, who dismissed Abhishek Sharma, and Varun Chakaravarthy, who kept the run rate in check, played pivotal roles.
Despite a resilient 61-run partnership between Rahul Tripathi and Heinrich Klaasen, SRH’s innings never fully recovered.
Tripathi top-scored with 55, but regular wickets and a lack of support from the lower order restricted SRH to a modest total of 159.
In response, KKR’s openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sunil Narine set a blistering pace, scoring 63 runs in the powerplay.
Gurbaz’s quickfire 23 and Narine’s cameo of 21 laid a solid foundation.
The Iyer duo, Venkatesh and captain Shreyas, then took charge, showcasing a mix of aggression and precision to chase down the target with ease.
Venkatesh Iyer’s 50 off 28 balls and Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 50 off 23 balls highlighted KKR’s batting prowess as they completed the chase in just 13.4 overs.
KKR’s victory was characterized by their all-round excellence. Starc was the standout bowler with figures of 3 for 34, supported well by Chakaravarthy’s economical spell of 2 for 26.
The KKR fielders also played their part, exhibiting great commitment and creating opportunities.
As KKR advance to the final, SRH will have another chance to reach the title clash when they face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals.
The IPL 2024 final promises to be an exciting contest as KKR look to add another title to their illustrious histor
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