KKR reaches IPL 2024 final with dominant win over SRH

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured their place in the IPL 2024 final with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.

This dominant win was highlighted by the quickest chase in IPL knockout history. Asked to chase a target of 160, Shreyas Iyer’s team displayed aggressive intent, completing the chase in just 13.4 overs, with 38 balls to spare. This remarkable feat surpassed previous records for the fastest chases in IPL knockout matches.

SRH, opting to bat first, struggled right from the start as Mitchell Starc delivered a stellar performance. The Australian pacer dismantled Travis Head’s stumps with the second ball of the match, setting the tone for SRH’s top-order collapse. Starc’s fiery spell in the powerplay saw him take three crucial wickets, finishing with figures of 3/34.

Despite a great effort from Rahul Tripathi, who scored 55, and Heinrich Klaasen’s 32, SRH couldn't regain control as KKR’s bowlers tightened the screws in the final overs. Varun Chakravarthy contributed significantly with his figures of 2/26.

With this win, KKR now advance to the IPL 2024 final, set for May 26. They await the winners of Qualifier 2, while SRH will face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 22 for another shot at reaching the final.