KKR vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: In this match, both teams scored over 200 runs, but the record for the highest chase at the Eden Gardens Stadium couldn’t be broken. Hyderabad was close to breaking this record, but Harshit Rana turned the tables in the final over.
In Short
Kolkata Knight Riders have kicked off their IPL 2024 campaign with a win. They defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in an exciting contest at their home ground, the Eden Gardens Stadium, by 4 runs. In this high-scoring match, both teams’ batsmen played some splendid shots, but the real stars were Hyderabad’s explosive West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell and young Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana. Russell smashed 64 runs with the help of 7 sixes and also took 2 wickets, while Harshit Rana defended 13 runs in the final over to secure the win for his team.
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Whereas in the first and second matches of this season, neither team managed to surpass 200 runs, in this match, both teams crossed that mark, providing great entertainment to the fans. A total of 29 sixes were hit in this match (14 by KKR, 15 by SRH), with 7 by Andre Russell and 8 by SRH’s batsman Henrik Klassen. Despite needing just one more six, Kolkata managed to win the match by a mere 4 runs.
SRH’s Brilliant Start Fizzles Out
Kolkata set a target of 209 runs for Hyderabad, who started their innings aggressively. Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Upadhyay had already scored 60 runs in the powerplay. However, after their dismissal, the run rate slowed down, and wickets started falling. Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Suyash Sharma kept a check on Hyderabad’s batsmen. When Abdul Samad got out on the fifth ball of the 17th over, the score was only 145 runs.
Klassen’s Explosive Batting
Hyderabad needed 60 runs in the last 3 overs, and that’s when Henrik Klassen changed the game. In the 18th over, Klassen hit two sixes against Varun Chakravarthy, while Shahbaz Ahmed also hit a six. Despite needing 39 runs in the last 2 overs, and facing Mitchell Starc, who was bought for ₹24.5 crores by KKR, Klassen smashed 3 magnificent sixes, while Shahbaz hit another six.
Harshit Turns the Tide for KKR(watch video)
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With 13 runs needed in the final over, Klassen hit a stunning six off Harshit Rana’s first ball. With just 7 runs required in 5 balls, Harshit turned the match around. He conceded only 2 runs in the next 4 balls, taking the wickets of Shahbaz and Klassen. Hyderabad needed 5 runs off the last ball but failed to score, securing a memorable win for Kolkata.
Raman’s Explosive Batting
Before that, Kolkata’s top and middle order failed to leave any impact. New opener Phil Salt (54) did show aggression, hitting three sixes in the second over, but the rest of the batsmen disappointed. Captain Shreyas Iyer couldn’t open his account and lost his wicket at 51 runs. Then Raman’s explosive innings changed the course of the match. Playing for KKR for the first time, Raman Singh scored 35 runs off just 17 balls, including 4 massive sixes.
Also Read : “Dinesh Karthik’s Hint at IPL Retirement: Insights on His Potential Farewell”
Russell Dominates the Bowlers
Meanwhile, Phil Salt completed his half-century in 39 balls. But the entire game belonged to Andre Russell. Coming in at the crease in the 13th over, Russell targeted every Hyderabad bowler. He first targeted leg-spinner Mayank Markande, hitting him for 3 sixes in an over, and then continued the onslaught against other bowlers. Russell scored the fastest half-century of this season in just 20 balls, smashing a total of 7 sixes in his innings of 64 runs off 26 balls. Rinku Singh (23) also made a good contribution.
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