NEW DELHI: Mitchell Starc was mesmerizing, Andre Russell was unstoppable, and Gautam Gambhir remained stoic as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dominated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to clinch their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title. Owner Shah Rukh Khan concealed his emotions behind a mask, adding to the intensity of the moment.
KKR’s bowling unit was exceptional, reducing SRH to a mere 113 runs in 18.3 overs—the lowest ever score in an IPL final. This performance underscored KKR’s dominance throughout the season.
Venkatesh Iyer, an overlooked Indian all-rounder, led the charge with an unbeaten 52 off 26 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes, securing victory in just 10.3 overs. He ensured that fellow Iyer, captain Shreyas Iyer, had a memorable night, especially after a challenging four months for the skipper. Rahmanullah Gurbaz also played a crucial role, scoring 39 and taking three catches behind the stumps.
The victory was a testament to KKR’s team spirit. Despite the match being one-sided, each player’s story added to the team’s collective success. In 2012, at this very ground, Gambhir had led KKR to their maiden title, and a dozen years later, he continued to influence from behind the scenes.
Head coach Chandrakant Pandit’s legacy in Indian cricket grew as he guided KKR to victory. Sunil Narine rediscovered his form, contributing significantly with both bat and ball, while Varun Chakravarthy made a strong comeback, showcasing his craft with 21 wickets.
The contributions of lesser-known pacers Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora highlighted the team’s depth, and Andre Russell, ever the man for crucial moments, delivered with both bat and ball.
Starc’s spell (2/14) justified his hefty auction price of Rs 24.75 crore. He struck early, removing the league’s breakout youngster Abhishek Sharma with a delivery that swung late and clipped the off-bail. Travis Head and Rahul Tripathi also fell to KKR’s disciplined attack, with SRH reeling at 40 for 3 by the end of the Powerplay.
The middle overs saw Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram trying to stabilize, but they couldn’t withstand the pressure from Harshit Rana and Andre Russell. With SRH at 62 for 5, KKR’s pace attack, exploiting extra bounce and movement, ensured there was no comeback for SRH.
When Shreyas Iyer took the field, the celebratory anthem “Chak De India” blared from the speakers, and by the time the song ended, Shah Rukh Khan, still recovering from dehydration, joined his team in celebration. KKR’s clinical performance and cohesive team spirit secured their place in IPL history as one of the few teams to win three titles, alongside CSK and MI.
