Kolkata Knight Rider's extraordinary journey in the 2024 IPL season has been an illustration of what a strong squad filled with players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana and a captain like Shreyas Iyer can achieve. With 18 points from 12 matches, they have secured the first berth in the playoffs
The rain-shortened Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match at the Eden Gardens on May 11, Saturday served as a testimony to the Kolkata Knight Rider's leadership and dominance throughout the season. The Shreyas Iyer-led side consigned Mumbai Indians to an 18-run defeat -- for their fourth consecutive victory, and became the first team to qualify for the IPP playoffs. (Highlights | Full Coverage)
Leading the standings with an impressive 18 points and highest NNR of +1.428, the skipper too has "manifested" KKR's journey into the playoffs, just like everyone else did. In the post-match interview, Iyer said, "I manifested this before the game (on becoming the 1st side to qualify for the playoffs). Nerves were there, boys have been raising their hands and there have been many game-changers and kudos to each and every one of them."
Kolkata Knight Rider's journey in the 2024 IPL season has witnessed several extraordinary moments. The regular 200+ innings, the 100+ run victories, the wonders of the all-rounder Sunil Narine, Phil Salt's knocks, Harshit Rana's wickets, and Shreyas Iyer's guidance! It's one journey that hardly oscillated between ups and downs, but always between good and better, showcasing the true essence of excellence. Here's a look at the team's five key wins so far
Kolkata Knight Riders Vs SunRisers Hyderabad, Opening Match
KKR's opening match of the 2024 Indian Premier League season tells the tale of the team's preparation following two years of disappointing seventh-place finishes. Indeed, it reflected the two-time champions' meticulous planning, akin to a pack of Knights gearing up for a new challenge! Up against the formidable SunRisers Hyderabad, Shreyas Iyer's side won the match by four runs, having set a target of 209 runs. The stand-out performance came from the very explosive Andre Russell -- 25-ball 64 with the bat and two wickets with the ball. Harshit Rana, still an unheralded player, claimed three wickets.
Delhi Capitals Vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 108 Runs Victory!
In match 16 of the IPL 2024, the Kolkata Knight Riders took a trip down to Visakhapatnam for a match against Delhi Capitals and produced a dominating performance. After amassing an imposing total of 272/7, they toyed with the Rishabh Pant & Co. DC were dismissed for 166 in 17.3 overs with Varun Chakravarthy and Vaibhav Arora doing the damage with the ball.
Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Just 1 Run!
Once again, with the support of thousands of home crowd, the Kolkata Knight Riders displayed their prowess against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The win margin? Just 1 run! Propelled by Phil Salt's blistering 14-ball 48, and Iyer's 50 off 36 balls, KKR posted 222/6. RCB fell short by a single run as Andre Russell (3), Harshit Rana (2) and Sunil Narine (2) had the final say against visiting batters.
Lucknow Super Giants Vs Kolkata Knight Riders - 98-Run Victory!
This time, at the EKANA Sports City, Lucknow, KKR had to showcase their batting brilliance against the KL Rahul-led LSG. And they did it by a massive 98-run win. In match 54 of the IPL 2024 season KKR scored 235/6, thanks to Sunil Narine's 81 off 39, and Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy's wonderful bowling, each taking three wickets.
Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Mumbai Indians - Double Delight!
Kolkata Knight Riders played two matches against Mumbai Indians this season and won both. In the first clash, KKR secured victory by 24 runs, while in the second match, Shreyas Iyer's side emerged victorious by 18 runs, thereby becoming the first team to enter the IPL playoffs stage.
The Trinidadian all-rounder Sunil Narine has been in a stellar form this season shining bright with both bat and ball. In 12 matches played so far, he has scored 461 runs and taken 15 wickets. The KKR hero needs 39 more runs to achieve the best 'all-rounding numbers' of 500 runs and 15 wickets in the IPL's history.