Srinagar: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) cruised their way into the final of the IPL 2024 by outplaying Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the Qualifier 1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
KKR were asked to chase 160 and they did it aggressively, creating a history of the quickest chase in IPL knockouts. They completed the target with 38 balls remaining.
Quickest chases in Qualifiers/Knockouts in IPL – By balls remaining
38 – KKR vs SRH, 2024 Qualifier 1
33 – MI vs KKR, 2017 Qualifier 1
31 – CSK v KXIP, 2008 Semi-final
KKR had an upper hand throughout the game after SRH opted to bat first. Mitchell Starc shattered Travis Head’s stumps on the second ball of the match which set the platform for KKR win.
Starc led the SRH’s top-order collapse with three wickets in the powerplay. Pat Cummins’ men tried to regain the momentum courtesy of Rahul Tripathi (55) and Heinrich Klaasen (32) but KKR restricted them again in the final overs.
Starc bagged figures of 3/34 while Varun Chakravarthy claimed 2/26.
KKR’s chase started strongly with Rahmanullah Gurbaz (23) and Sunil Narine (21) taking the charge. The two Iyers – Venkatesh (51) and Shreyas (58) – finished strongly with a 97-run stand.
KKR will now face the winners of Qualifier 2 in the final on May 26. SRH will wait for their opponent from Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), who will face in the Eliminator on May 22.