In a dominant display of cricket, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinched their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title with a resounding eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a one-sided final on Sunday. The victory was marked by a clinical performance from KKR’s bowlers and an equally impressive chase by their batsmen.

Having lost the toss, KKR were put into the field by SRH, who opted to bat first. The decision backfired spectacularly as SRH’s batting lineup crumbled under the pressure of the final. SRH managed to post only 113 runs, which became the lowest-ever total in an IPL final.

KKR’s bowlers dominate as SRH crumble to lowest-ever IPL final total

The innings started disastrously for SRH. They lost their first wicket in the very first over when Abhishek Sharma was bowled by Mitchell Starc. Starc delivered a peach of a delivery that opened up the left-hander before hitting the top of the off stump. This early breakthrough set the tone for KKR’s bowling dominance.

SRH’s woes deepened when Travis Head was dismissed for a first-ball duck, caught behind off a beautiful outswinger. With just six runs on the board, SRH were reeling at 6/2. Starc continued his impressive spell, taking the wicket of Rahul Tripathi, who could only manage 9 runs before being caught behind. At this point, SRH were struggling at 21/3 in the fifth over.

Harshit Rana, coming in as the first change bowler, maintained the pressure by dismissing Nitish Reddy for 13. Andre Russell then joined the party, claiming the crucial wicket of SRH captain Aiden Markram, who was out for 20. This left SRH tottering at 62/5 in the 11th over.

The middle and lower order of SRH offered little resistance. Shahbaz Nadeem was dismissed for 8 by Varun Chakravarthy, while Abdul Samad could only score 4 before falling to Russell. SRH’s innings continued to collapse as Harshit Rana returned to take the wicket of Heinrich Klaasen, who scored 16. Jaydev Unadkat was trapped LBW by Sunil Narine for 4, and Pat Cummins was the last man out, leaving SRH all out for a paltry 113.

Venkatesh Iyer’s blistering knock seals emphatic victory for Kolkata Knight Riders

In response, KKR started their chase confidently. Sunil Narine, opening the innings, hit a six off the very first over bowled by Pat Cummins but was soon dismissed for 6. However, Venkatesh Iyer, in a scintillating form, took charge of the chase. He punished Bhuvneshwar Kumar, scoring 20 runs in an over, showcasing his aggressive intent.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz supported Iyer well, contributing a brisk 39 before being dismissed by Shahbaz Nadeem. By then, KKR were already in a commanding position. Iyer continued his assault on the SRH bowlers, completing his fifty off just 24 balls.

With Iyer remaining unbeaten on 52 off 26 balls, KKR comfortably chased down the target of 114 with 57 balls to spare, sealing an emphatic eight-wicket win. This victory marked a historic moment for KKR as they lifted their third IPL trophy, adding to their previous titles and solidifying their status as one of the premier franchises in the league.

See Also: IPL 2024 final: KKR win their third title, beat SRH by 8 wickets

The match highlighted KKR’s strength in both bowling and batting. Mitchell Starc, Andre Russell, and Harshit Rana were the standout performers with the ball, while Venkatesh Iyer’s explosive innings ensured a smooth chase. SRH, on the other hand, failed to rise to the occasion, struggling both with the bat and the ball in a match that they will look back on with disappointment.