 "IPL Final: Shreyas Iyer hails ‘absolutely comprehensive’ victory as KKR hammer SRH to win third title in style")
Shreyas Iyer hailed Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) “absolutely comprehensive” victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024 final at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday that helped them win the tournament for a third time.
KKR handed SRH a second consecutive eight-wicket thrashing , this time chasing an even lower target of 114 after being set 160 to win in Qualifier 1, to be crowned IPL champions after a decade.
In a clinical all-round show at Chepauk on Sunday, the Knight Riders attack functioned as a well-oiled unit to bowl the Sunrisers out for a meagre 113 after Pat Cummins opted to bat. Venkatesh Iyer, in reply, struck an unbeaten 52 off 26 deliveries and was ably supported by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (39 off 32) as KKR chased the target down in just 10.3 overs.
“Absolutely comprehensive. This is what we demanded from the team and every individual. They stood up to the right occasion and the feeling is hard to express.
“We played like invincibles throughout the season. There’s so much to cherish right now. It is pleasing, the performance has been flawless throughout. I am running out of words right now. We have been tremendous from game one, we stepped up today.
“All we demanded from ourselves was to back each other whatever the situation is,” Iyer said during the post-match presentation shortly before lifting the trophy with his teammates.
IPL Final | 'We were completely outplayed,' SRH skipper Pat Cummins
Iyer, however, did not forget to credit SRH for a superb campaign and for reaching the final a year after finishing at the bottom of the 10-team table.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“They have been playing phenomenal cricket - SRH - throughout the season. We were lucky to bowl first and every situation went in our favour. Thanks to SRH the way they played. Looking forward to play more competitive cricket,” Iyer added.
It wasn’t just SRH, who had finished with the wooden spoon in two of the last three years, struggling in recent seasons. KKR had secured back-to-back seventh-place finishes in the last two years after finishing runners-up in 2021 under Eoin Morgan’s leadership. Iyer, additionally had missed the entire season last year due to a back issue, which forced batter Nitish Rana to fill in as stand-in captain.
Stats | KKR’s record-breaking chase, SRH hitting a new low and more
It wasn’t just Iyer who returned to the KKR camp this season. Gautam Gambhir, who had led the franchise to the title in 2012 and 2014, too had returned as a mentor after undertaking a similar role with Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023.
Iyer and Gambhir, along with head coach Chandrakant Pandit, were able to bring the best out of their squad, including record signing Mitchell Starc who had struggled in the first half of the season, and rediscover the winning formula.
Photos | KKR thrash SRH by 8 wickets in Chennai to win third IPL title
Leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, however, made mention of another individual who also deserved credit for KKR’s success in the 17th season.
“All I can think right now is of the person who built this Indian core: Abhishek Nayar. Please come here,” Chakravarthy, who finished the season with 21 wickets, said while being interviewed after the final, pulling assistant coach Nayar towards the camera.
“It means everything. I started playing IPL in the first season and it has taken me 16 years for the first title after two finals. I am really happy for the boys. I cannot express how happy I am. The big man (Andre Russell) turning up as usual. It is the most surreal feeling I have had in a long time,” Nayar added.
Watch | KKR lift IPL trophy for third time after outplaying SRH in final
Senior all-rounder Sunil Narine, who was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season after finishing with 488 runs and 17 wickets, drew parallels with KKR’s maiden title triumph in 2012, in which the Gambhir-led side had defeated MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk while chasing.
“I think coming the ground today felt like 2012. The feeling is overwhelming. I am enjoying my cricket at the moment - batting, bowling and fielding. What helps is that your team is winning. I tried to get the team off the flier and GG (Gambhir) said just go in and try to win the games for the team. I tried to do exactly that and I think it was a very good advice.
“Once you have an opening partner with the same intent, it helps. Varun (Chakravarthy) is world-class bowler. His work ethic and in general the whole bowling line-up - we picked up early wickets and that helped. The whole bowling unit picking up wickets helped us win the title,” Narine, who had also won the MVP award in 2012, said after the match.
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
