IPL 2024: Russell’s Heroics Secure Thrilling Win for KKR Over Sunrisers
IPL 2024 Updates: Andre Russell’s power hitting and Harshit Rana’s steller last over heroics sealed the win for KKR against Sunrisers.
In the last over, Harshit Rana successfully defends 12 to give the home team a stunning four-run triumph over Sunrisers.
Sunrisers Hyderabad 204 for 7 (Klaasen 63, Abishek 32, Agarwal 32) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 208 for 7 (Russell 64*, Salt 54, Ramandeep 35, Natarajan 3-32) by four runs.
At Eden Gardens on Saturday, Heinrich Klaasen of Sunrisers Hyderabad came dangerously close to stealing the win from Kolkata Knight Riders, but Harshit Rana, 22, successfully defended 12 off the last over to get KKR across the finish line in a thrilling last-ball match.
As Sunrisers gained momentum, Klaasen pulled Harshit for six over square leg in the 20th over, setting up a perfect start for the team. However, in the following five balls, the seamer sealed the deal with two singles, two wickets, and one dot.
Earlier, Sunil Narine’s 1 for 19 in four overs on a pitch that was good for batting (there were no boundaries in the spell) silenced the Sunrisers throughout the middle overs. Bowlers of all skill levels went for a lot on this surface, but his economy of 4.75 was a total anomaly. With three overs remaining and Sunrisers needing to score sixty in eighteen balls, that had given KKR the upper hand. However, Klaasen’s 29-ball 63, which featured eight sixes, forced Sunrisers to retake the lead.
Klassen Almost Pulled It Off
Klaasen has dominated the last eighteen months with his improved range of shots against pace and his transformation into a devastating spin hitter. With Sunrisers needing 102 in 8.2 overs, he entered at No. 5. Despite his poor start, he quickly discovered his range against Varun Chakravarthy, going from six in seven balls to eighteen off twelve with two sixes in the fourteenth over.
Upon Chakravarthy’s return for the eighteenth, with the target appearing unlikely, Klaasen once more showed his strength by smashing two more sixes. Then, in the 19th over, Klaasen hit Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player in IPL history, three sixes in a 26-run over as he came back to finish the match.
The Sunrisers had reversed the tide of the match with 47 runs scored in the 18th and 19th overs. Before the final over, ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster showed Sunrisers at 81.95% favourites, despite KKR being favored by 99.27% because to the 12-ball onslaught. But one ball after hitting his ninth six, Klaasen was dismissed by Harshit, deflating Sunrisers and allowing KKR to win the match.
What Andre Russell’s All About
KKR were 123 for 6 with six overs remaining in the first innings, and a spectacular finish was still required if they were to reach 200.
Russell destroyed Mayank Markande’s bowling stats in the 16th over, smashing three sixes – two down the ground and one over midwicket – to reach 20 off 11 balls after scoring two runs in his opening five deliveries.
Russell took full advantage of a favorable match-up to destroy the seasoned bowler when Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned for his last over. He struck six and four in the seventeenth over, and Rinku Singh added another boundary in an 18-run over.
T Natarajan dismissed the 18th wicket for 15, and Russell hit Bhuvneshwar for four, six, six, and four when he came back to bowl the 19th. Russell used his strength and the short boundaries to force 26 runs out of the innings. In the process, he reached his fifty in twenty balls and smashed his 200th six for the KKR in franchise cricket.
As Rinku was dismissed for a mere 25 runs off 13 balls, becoming Natarajan’s third wicket of the evening, that enabled KKR to reach 200 in 19 overs. The Sunrisers let up 85 runs in the final five overs and were forced to chase an unlikely 209. Russell ended up undefeated on 64 with a strike rate of 256.
Sunil Narine’s As Economical As Ever
The Sunrisers got off to the kind of start they needed to chase down 209, a mark that would have required the fourth-highest chase in IPL history, thanks to twin 32s from openers Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma. However, they were both dismissed in the sixth and eighth overs by Russell’s and Harshit’s short balls, respectively. Around that time, Shreyas Iyer visited Narine, following the conclusion of the powerplay.
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In order to silence Rahul Tripathi and Markram, Narine bowled steadily on a decent length and found turn in both directions. In his first over, he let up just two runs, and in his second, he almost got Tripathi out after the batsman misplayed a slog sweep. But Tripathi was given another chance at life by Chakravarthy’s missed opportunity.
In the eleventh over, Tripathi was pinned in front of the stumps by Narine, earning him a third life. However, the umpire rejected the appeal, and KKR chose not to investigate it.
Tripathi produced a rare display of passion when he was ultimately removed by Narine in the 17th over, caught at deep square leg off the penultimate ball of his innings. He had earned his just desserts for his outstanding spell. With eight dots bowled and no boundaries given up, Narine concluded.
Salt and Ramandeep Played Aggressively
When Narine, who had been promoted to open again, was cheaply run out, the KKR innings had started disastrously. Then, to leave KKR 32 for 3, Natarajan dismissed Venkatesh Iyer (7) and Shreyas (0) in the same over.
Following a hat-trick of sixes off Marco Jansen to begin his innings, that pushed Salt to temper his shot-making. When Bhuvneshwar bowled in the fourth stump channel during the powerplay, the KKR hitters, including Salt, found it difficult. By the eighth over, they were 51 for 4, when Nitish Rana reverse-swept Markande to backward point.
But Salt found a counterattacking companion in Ramandeep No. 6. The Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins and Marco Jansen attempted a short-ball barrage, but Ramandeep was unfazed. In the ninth and eleventh overs, he took both bowlers for sixes, and he started the 12th over with an inside-out six against Shahbaz Ahmed. After making a 17-ball 35 against Cummins, he was eventually caught at cover by a diving Markande, but by then, he had made sure the KKR innings did not stall in the middle overs.
Salt appeared dejected when he was bowled out for 54 in the same over, even though he had finally hit his third IPL fifty in the 14th over thanks to Markande’s bowling. But in just 6.2 overs, KKR rallied from 51 for 4 to 119 for 6, giving Rinku and Russell a solid foundation on which to build. And they made a profit.
Harshit Rana’s Heroics in Final Over Earn Praises
Harshit Rana showcased nerves of steel in the final over, defending 12 runs against a formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad lineup. With the explosive Heinrich Klaasen on strike, having already amassed 56 runs off just 26 balls, the pressure was palpable. However, Harshit’s resilience and determination ultimately secured a crucial victory for KKR, earning accolades from teammates and fans alike.
KKR captain Shreyas Iyer commended Harshit’s composure under pressure, highlighting his pivotal role in the team’s triumph. “In the last over, anything could happen,” remarked Iyer. “But I had faith in him. I knew something positive would unfold.”
Acknowledging Harshit’s initial nervousness, Iyer revealed his pep talk to the young bowler, emphasizing the opportunity to shine on such a grand stage. “This is your moment,” Iyer encouraged Harshit, “Back yourself, execute the plan, and the results will follow.”
Echoing Iyer’s sentiments, star all-rounder Andre Russell praised Harshit’s assertiveness in claiming the final over. “His body language was spot on,” remarked Russell. “He wanted the ball and delivered when it mattered most.”
Harshit’s strategic use of slower balls, particularly against Klaasen’s aggressive batting, proved pivotal in turning the tide in KKR’s favor. “The plan was clear – take the pace off the ball,” explained batter Ramandeep Singh. “Harshit executed it perfectly, outsmarting Klaasen in a crucial moment.”
Harshit‘s stellar performance, culminating in career-best T20 figures of 3 for 33, not only secured a memorable victory for KKR but also highlighted his potential as a rising star in the IPL arena.
