KKR vs SRH IPL 2024 Qualifier 1: History Repeats as Gambhir-Inspired Kolkata Knight Riders Storm into the Final

IPL 2024 Qualifier, KKR vs SRH: Kolkata Knight Riders's Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer along with Mitchell Starc starred against Sunrisers Hyderabad (BCCI)

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) created a wave in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 which travelled across the country and now will head down South, towards Chennai, after conquering Ahmedabad. History repeated itself on Tuesday evening when Shreyas Iyer’s KKR walloped a high-riding Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), storming into a fourth-season finale with an 8-wicket win.

It’s their first final since 2021 where they lost to Chennai Super Kings in Dubai. But Kolkata winning the Qualifier 1 and cruising into the finals was a nostalgic trip as it brought back the memories of 2012 and 2014 when the team endured similar results under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir.

Kolkata’s prodigal son was back home after seven years and his return fulfilled the purpose when he was seen jumping off his seat multiple times to celebrate his team’s success. From Mitchell Starc to Varun Chakravarthy, KKR deployed as many as six bowlers against SRH with none returning empty-handed. Starc was the pick of the KKR bowlers, returning 3/34 at the end of his spell. Chakravarthy, on the other hand, picked up a couple of wickets – 2/26 in 4 overs. The disciplined attack eclipsed Hyderabad’s glowing sun in scorching Ahmedabad, folding them to a paltry 160.

KKR’s reply with the bat was a blow to SRH’s face which turned worse with a couple of dropped chances. After Gurbaz and Narine set the base with a 44-run opening stand, the Iyer Brothers of Kolkata ensured a winless streak at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Mauling Hyderabad with a 97-run unbeaten stand

The Iyer duo – Venkatesh and Shreyas – notched up their respective half-centuries to guide Kolkata to the season finale. Venkatesh hammered 4 sixes and 5 boundaries in his 28-ball 51* while the skipper, Shreyas, top-scored for his team with an unbeaten 58 off 24 deliveries. With 2 needed off 38 balls, the Kolkata captain finished the chase in style with a gigantic hit, sealing a place in the final with a convincing 8-wicket win.

Gurbaz gelled up well

Phil Salt leaving the KKR camp before playoffs and Gurbaz taking his place was an untested move but it paid off well. Striking 2 sixes and as many boundaries, the Afghan wicketkeeper-batter scored 23 off 14, competing 4000 runs in the shortest format before falling prey to Natarajan.

Micthell Starc Ruins Hyderabad’s Powerplay

SRH’s secret behind their colossal totals this season has been the rock-solid partnerships between Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. But Kolkata pacers came prepared to foil this camaraderie as early as possible. Mitchell Starc justified his multi-million price tag in the crunch encounter with a 3-fer in his opening spell of three overs. He opened the KKR attack by cleaning up Australian teammate Head (0) with a peach of a delivery and then dismissed Nitish Reddy (9) and Shahbaz Ahmed (0) on the last two balls of the 5th over. Uncapped Vaibhav Arora denied Abhishek Sharma to flourish as KKR had restricted SRH to 45 for 4 in the first six overs.

Rahul Tripathi’s Brain-Fade Moment

As the top-order perished pretty earlier than expected, Rahul Tripathi stepped up to shoulder the limping SRH innings. The ongoing season was full of struggles for the 33-year-old until Tuesday when he notched up his first fifty this season and featured in a 62-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen for the 5th wicket. But Tripathi’s good luck lived short. He seemed to have experienced a brain-fade moment in the 14th over he probably missed Abdul Samad’s call for a single and was stranded in the middle, watching the ball. Russell’s athleticism followed by a near-perfect throw ended Tripathi’s outing who was later seen moaning his dismissals at the long staircase to the dressing room.

Highest 10th wicket partnership for SRH ft. Pat Cummins

Hyderabad’s batting collapse saw Cummins, a no. 9 batter, in the 14th over. Running short of partners in death, the skipper SRH decided to charge and in fact, reached a new feat. Cummins, who had smashed a 14-ball fifty in KKR colours, scored an unbeaten 26 off 16 balls but his partnership with Vijaykanth – 33* off 21 – for the 10th wicket is now the highest for Sunrisers in IPL history.

Brief scores:

SRH 160 (19.3 overs) all-out [Rahul Tripathi 55 (35); Starc 3/34] lost to KKR 164/2 (13.4 overs) [Shreyas Iyer 58* (24); Natarajan 1/22] by 8 wickets

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