In a commanding display, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their third IPL title, defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 8 wickets in the IPL 2024 final. KKR dominated the match, restricting SRH to a mere 113 and chasing down the target in just 10.3 overs at Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium.
The final was a disappointing outing for SRH, who posted the lowest score ever in an IPL final, bowled out for just 113 in 18.3 overs, breaking the previous record held by Chennai Super Kings. SRH struggled throughout their innings, unable to build any substantial partnerships.
SRH’s owner, Kavya Maran, who had attended all of the team’s matches throughout the season, couldn’t hold back her tears following the crushing defeat. After initially applauding the team’s efforts, she turned away and broke down, shunning the consoling efforts of those around her.
The match started poorly for SRH as they lost their star openers, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, within the first two overs. Rahul Tripathi’s dismissal for 9 during the Powerplay left SRH reeling at 41/3 after six overs.
The middle and lower order offered little resistance. Shahbaz Ahmed managed just 8 runs and Abdul Samad scored only 4, failing to provide support to Heinrich Klaasen, who top-scored with 16. Ultimately, SRH’s innings folded for 113, marking the lowest total by a team batting first in an IPL final.
KKR’s chase was straightforward. They amassed 75/1 in the Powerplay, effectively sealing the match early. Despite losing Sunil Narine early, Venkatesh Iyer and Rahmanullah Gurbaz maintained aggressive batting. KKR reached the target in just 9.4 overs, with Venkatesh Iyer scoring an unbeaten half-century. Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten at the other end.
KKR pick trophy for the third time
This victory marked KKR’s third IPL title and their first in 10 years, with their previous trophy coming under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir in 2014. Interestingly, Gambhir returned to KKR before this season as the team’s mentor, guiding them to another championship.
