#kkrvsrh

Defending Champions Kolkata Knight Riders recorded the biggest victory margin in Tata IPL 2025 as they outclassed Sunrisers Hyderabad by a massive 80 runs in encounter at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

2012 and 2014 champions Kolkata Knight Riders added their third IPL title as they on a dramatic one- sided final outclassed Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in Chennai.

SRH skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat first. And like the previous matches SRH to- order collapsed once again in the power plays . The famed opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head flopped when it mattered most .

Once the duo were gone,  Sharma to beauty from fiery Aussie Mitchell Starc ( 2) and Head following with ( 0) SRH were on the back- foot. Rahul Tripathi ( 9 ),   Nitish  Reddy ( 13) . SRH were reeling at  47-4, 7 overs .  KKR  right on top.

Aiden Markram  with his experience was expected to  play big one  on big night but fell  for ( 20) . Heinrich Klaasen ( 16) , Abdul Samad ( 4) ,  Shahbaz Ahmed ( 8) .  It was surprising on big night none of the SRH batsman fired . That too in the final . Skipper  Pat Cummins scored 24 towards the  end but the damage was done. SRH were bowled out for 113 in 18. 3 overs – lowest score ever recorded by a team batting first in an IPL final. This surpassed the previous record of 125/9 held by Chennai Super Kings in 2013.

KKR  bowlers  were on fire. Led by Mitchell Starc  2/ 14 ( 3 overs) ,  Vaibhav Arora 1/ 24 ( 3 overs) , Harshit Rana 2/ 24 ( 4 overs) , Sunil Narine 1/ 16 ( 4 overs) , Andre Russell 3/ 19 ( 2.3 overs), Varun Chakaravarthy 1/ 9 ( 2 overs)

In reply , KKR were in a hurry and raced through.  They lost Sunil Narine early for ( 6) to Pat Cummins. But  then the chase was never threatened . Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz put them on course with 39  ( 32 balls, 5 fours , 2 sixes) . These were the only  two KKR wickets to fall. as they raced to the title in style with  Venkatesh Iyer  not out 52  (  26 balls , 4 fours, 3 sixes) and Skipper Shreyas Iyer not out  6. KKr 114/ 2 in mere 10. 3 overs.

The crowd which expected a cracking final were left let down by the quick final. It was an anti- climax .

SRH bowling :  Bhuvneshwar Kumar 0/ 25 ( 2 overs)   , Pat Cummins 1/ 18 ( 2 overs) , T Natarajan 0/ 29 ( 2 overs) , Shahbaz Ahmed 1/ 22( 2.3 overs) , Jaydev Unadkat 0/ 9 ( 1 over) ,  Aiden Markram 0/ 5 ( 1 over)

SRH finished last in 2023 ended up runners-up in 20204 under new Skipper Pat Cummins and head coach Dan Vettori. Despite falling in the final they played well to be proud of .

Gautam Gambhir  who led KKR to  twin victories in 2012 and 2014 now  adds another one as mentor.  Becomes the first player in IPL to do so.

KKR co- owner Bollywood superstar with family – wife Gauri, son Aryan, Abram, daughter Suhana did a victory lap . It was moment o rejoice for KKR. It was their knight and they stood tall.

SRH Impact Player: Abdul Samad replaces Travis Head

Man of the match: Mitchell Starc

Man of the Series: Sunil Narine

Two- time winners Kolkata Knight  Riders powered their way into the Tata IPL 2024 final as they outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in the first Qualifier at Narendra Modi stadium, Ahmedabad.

Earlier, SRH Skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first . And SRH got off to a horror start , Travis Head dismissed without disturbing scorers for second time in a row, This time bowled by fellow Aussie Mitchell Starc.  In-from Abhishek Sharma fell for 3. SRH were rocked with total reading  13-2, 1.5 overs .

Nitish Reddy too did not last long out for 9 . Shahbaz Ahmed was out for ( 0). SRH were left tottering at 39/ 4 in 5 overs .  Battling collapsed dramatically for side which has been devastating in power play in the tournament .

Rahul Tripathi played superbly for  his 55 ( 35 balls 7 fours, 1 six) but was very unfortunately run-out in a terrible mix up with Abdul Samad. He was distraught with his mode of dismissal  . Heinrich Klaasen was needed to stay there,  the stage was set for him  to play a big one but he perished after scoring 32  ( 21 balls , 3 fours, 1 six) .

Abdul Samad ( 16) impact player Sanvir Singh ( 0)  followed soon . Had not skipper Pat Cummins played a important cameo towards the end SRH would have been bowled out much earlier. Cummins scored a valuable  30 ( 24  balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) as SRH were eventually  bolwed out for 159/ 10 in 19. 3 overs

KKR bowling  was led by fiery Mitchell Starc who bowled  with fire and finished with fine figures 3/ 34 ( 4 overs), Vaibhav Arora 1/ 17 ( 2 overs), Harshit Rana 1/ 27 ( 4 overs), Sunil Narine 1/ 40 ( 4 overs), Andre Russell 1/ 15 ( 1. 3 overs) , Varun Chakaravarthy 2/ 26 ( 4 overs)

In reply, KKR were in  a tearing hurry . And were off to a flying start . KKR openers  – Rahmanullah Gurbaz 23 ( 14 balls , 2 fours, 2 sixes), Sunil Narine 21 ( 16 balls, 4 fours) set the tempo racing  to  44/ 1 in 3.1 overs .  The duo soon fell to  T Natarajan And Pat Cummins respectively but the KKR chase was not troubled at all.

Venkatesh Iyer not out  51 ( 28 balls, 5 fours , 4 sixes) and Skipper Shreyas Iyer not out 58 (  24 balls, 5 fours, 4 sixes) powered the tea home to an emphatic win by 8 wickets . KKR reaching  164/ 2 in 13. 4 overs .

SRH Bowling :  Bhuvneshwar Kumar 0/ 28 ( 3 overs) , Pat Cummins 1/ 38  ( 3 overs), T Natarajan 1/ 22 ( 3 overs) , Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 0/ 22 ( 2 overs) , Travis Head 0/ 32 ( 1. 2 overs) , Nitish Reddy 0/ 13 ( 1 over)

SRH though despite the crushing defeat have second chance to have a crack at the final as they await the  winner of the eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

SRH batting let them down. The shot selection needs to be addressed .

Ultra aggression in power play if fine when it clicks but disaster when it does not . Here it was evident SRH lost four wickets in first six overs. Game was over there and then.

KKR players were ecstatic after win and team’s co-owner Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan  was thrilled and  he did  a victory lap too much to the delight of the the crowd ..

SRH Impact Player: Sanvir Singh replaces Abhishek Sharma