In a crucial Qualifier 1 match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer rose to the occasion, showcasing his leadership and skill for his team which helped KKR in defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and reaching in the final.
SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first, but the innings started poorly as their openers were dismissed early. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, known for their explosive batting, fell cheaply. Head was bowled by Mitchell Starc on just the second delivery, marking his second consecutive duck in the IPL. Abhishek Sharma soon followed, dismissed by Vaibhav Arora.
Despite losing four wickets in the powerplay, Rahul Tripathi managed to stabilize the innings against Kolkata’s determined bowlers. He scored a crucial half-century before being run out, a dismissal that left him visibly upset as he couldn’t help his team reach a competitive total.
Chasing 160 runs, Kolkata Knight Riders also faced early setbacks, losing both openers in quick succession. Shreyas Iyer then took the crease and calmly navigated through the pressure. Once settled, Iyer was unstoppable, demonstrating his dominance, particularly in the 14th over bowled by Travis Head.
Iyer started the over with a massive six off a tossed-up delivery on leg stump, clearing deep mid-wicket. He followed it up with a boundary to the same area. On the third ball, another tossed-up delivery on leg stump was dispatched for a second six over deep mid-wicket, piling pressure on Head. Iyer capped off the over with another six, this time over long-on, finishing the game in style inside 15 overs.
Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten with an explosive 58 runs off just 24 balls, boasting a strike rate of over 241 and hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes. He shared an unbeaten 97-run partnership with Venkatesh Iyer, who scored 51*, as Kolkata Knight Riders clinched the victory with 38 balls to spare at the Narendra Modi International Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The Kolkata Knight Riders have secured their spot in the final, set to take place on Sunday, May 26th at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Now, they will be closely watching the tournament to see who their opponent in the final will be.
