NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) claimed their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a one-sided final held in Chennai on Sunday.
Having topped the group stage of the 10-team league, KKR defeated Hyderabad in the first qualifier on Tuesday and displayed even greater dominance in the final, which concluded in just 29 overs.
Overwhelmed with emotion, KKR players emphasized the crucial role of mentor Gautam Gambhir in shaping the team into a championship-winning outfit that outperformed SRH to secure their third IPL trophy at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
1/9:Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to lift IPL 2024 title
<p>Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to lift IPL 2024 title</p>Getty Images
2/9:Dominant Performance
<p>Kolkata Knight Riders dismantled Sunrisers Hyderabad, bowling them out for 113 runs to secure an eight-wicket victory and their third IPL title.</p>Getty Images
3/9:Starc's Impact
<p>Mitchell Starc, a $2.9 million signing, rattled Hyderabad’s top order with 2-14, contributing significantly to the lowest total in IPL finals history.</p>PTI
4/9:Venkatesh Iyer Shines
<p>Venkatesh Iyer led Kolkata to victory with an unbeaten 52 off 26 balls, supported by Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 39 off 32.</p>PTI
5/9:Captain's Pride
<p>Kolkata captain Shreyas Iyer praised his team's comprehensive performance and cumulative effort throughout the flawless season.</p>PTI
6/9:Historical Success
<p>Kolkata, previously winning titles in 2012 and 2014, dominated this season by topping the league stage with nine wins from 14 games.</p>Getty Images
7/9:World Cup Preparation
<p>Starc and Cummins will now join Australia’s squad for the Twenty20 World Cup, starting with the USA vs Canada match in Dallas.</p>Getty Images
8/9:Early Wickets
<p>Hyderabad's early collapse to 47-4 in the first seven overs was driven by impeccable bowling from Starc, Harshit Rana, and Vaibhav Arora.</p>PTI
9/9:Heartbreak for Hyderabad
<p>Despite setting IPL batting records this season, Hyderabad were bowled out for their lowest total at a venue where Kolkata had memorable victories.</p>PTIFollowing the triumph, KKR players lifted Gambhir on their shoulders in celebration.
This was Gambhir's first assignment as a mentor with KKR, who previously won titles in 2012 and 2014 as side's captain.
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"I want to share one short story that when GG (Gautam Gambhir) bhaiya was named the mentor. I sent him a long message as I was really happy. But he replied saying, 'Thank you but I would be happy if we stand at the podium with the trophy in our hands'. Today is that day and I will never forget that message," said Nitish Rana after the team's title win.
Royal Challengers Bangalore were eliminated in the playoffs, but their star player Virat Kohli won the Orange Cap as the league's top scorer, amassing 741 runs from 15 matches.
Punjab Kings seamer Harshal Patel received the Purple Cap for being the league's most successful bowler, taking 24 wickets from 14 matches, despite his team not making the playoffs.
