KKR vs SRH Qualifier 1, IPL 2024 Highlights: Kolkata march into finals with dominant win over Hyderabad

Yeah we will try to put this behind quickly, good thing we will have a crack at it (second qualifier). You have those days in T20 cricket where things doesn't quite work out. We weren't where we wanted with the bat and obviously couldn't do much with the ball. Felt that extra batting was important (picking the impact sub) on this wicket. Thought KKR bowled really well, there was a little bit in it early on and the surface got better. We all have played enough cricket, and going to a new venue (Chennai) helps us as well, so we gotta keep this behind and move on.

This is a proper drubbing. KKR are into the finals for the 4th time in their history and they have absolutely bossed this game. They chased down the 160-run target in 13.4 overs with 8 wickets in hand. Venkatesh and Shreyas - the Iyers - stitched a 93-run partnership to take KKR home and into the finals. Shreyas hit a 23-ball fifty while Venkatesh ttok 28 balls for his half-ton. SRH will now travel to Chennai and wait for the winner of the RR vs RCB clash to face them in Qualifier 2.

Venkatesh smashes a six over mid-wicket and brings up his fifty

Both Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer carry forward the momentum with regular runs after Sunil Narine's departure. Kolkara go past 100 and can smell an early win.

KKR - 107/2 in 10 overs (Venkatesh Iyer - 38* off 19 balls, Shreyas Iyer - 14* off 11 balls).

Kolkata Knight Riders need 53 runs in 60 balls to win the game.

Sunil Narine goes big against Pat Cummins with a pull shot but finds Viyaskanth at deep midwicket. A big breakthrough for SRH.

Narine scored 21 runs off 16 balls. Skipper Shreyas Iyer joins Venkatesh Iyer in the middle.

KKR -  74/2 in 7 overs.

Kolkata Knight Riders need 86 runs in 78 balls to win the game.

Despite losing Rahmanullah Gurbaz early, Sunrisers Hyderabad find themselves in a comfortable position after powerplay overs with Sunil Narine and Venkatesh Iyer finding regular runs at Narendra Modi Stadium.

KKR - 63/1 in 6 overs.

Kolkata Knight Riders need 97 runs in 84 balls to win the game.

Natarajan comes and and gets the wicket in his first over. He removes Gurbaz as SRH get the first breakthrough. It was on a good length and Gurbaz came down the track. But he hits it straight to the covers.

And the other review has gone as well. Bhuvneshwar was the bowler and they went for an LBW appeal against Narine. This was pitched outside leg from over the wicket and this was a pretty poor review. 

Cummins goes for a review against Gurbaz for an LBW but this is missing the stumps. SRH lose a review. Gurbaz looked to hit it on the leg side but misses. SRH went for the review but it is missing the stumps.

The run-chase is on as Rahmanullah and Narine are in the middle. Bhuvneshwar is in the attack first up

I have been fortunate enough to play on some big occasions, nice to get our team off to a good start, we know how SRH matched us in terms of attacking with the bat in the powerplay. Their (Head and Abhishek) partnership has been the key for them and to get both of them out cheaply, it's really pleasing. The wicket's got a bit skidier and there is some swing as well, I feel the wicket will get better with dew and the powerplay will be really key for us.

Starc ends on 3/34 in his 4 overs

And Pat Cummins has been caught out in the final over of Andre Russell. SRH finish at 159/10 in 19.3 overs. This is some fightable total for SRH but does not look a big one especially if the dew comes in. This was an inning of different phases. KKR came on top when Starc took three in the powerplay. Tripathi and Klaasen were looking good, they stitched a 62-run stand before the latter departed. It went worse and SRH kept losing wickets. Captains Cummins made 30 from 24 balls to take his team closer to 160. But will this be enough?

Captain Pat Cummins stays strong with Vijayakanth Viyaskanth for the last wicket. Cummins adds a couple of big shots as Sunrisers Hyderabad target a 150+ total.

SRH - 144/9 in 18 overs. (Pat Cummins - 19* off 17 balls, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth - 3* off 3 balls).

Varun Chakravarthy bags his second wicket of the game to dismiss Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Hyderabad go nine wickets down.

SRH - 126/9 in 16 overs. (Pat Cummins - 5* off 8 balls, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth - 0*)

Cummins and Bhuvneshwar are at the crease after Samad's wicket. SRH are at 128/8 after 15 overs

SRH had to call in an Impact player in Sanvir Singh but his Impact is pretty short with the bat. Narine cleans up Sanvir with this one that turned a little. Sanvir had a big gap between his bat and pads and the ball sneaked past to the stumps. SRH in tatters at 123/7 after 14

And now a run out. It seems SRH are finding ways to get dismissed today. The last thing you would want as a batter is run out. Samad hit it towards the left of backward point, where Russell does a good work. A terrible mix-up and Tripathi has been run out

It's the second time-out in the innings. Just when SRH were rebuilding it up with Klaasen and Tripathi, they have lost the former at a bad time. A 62-run stand between them was broken by Chakravarthy and SRH now find themselves at 115/5 after 13 overs. Samad and Tripathi still in the middle and they don't have much batting left now.

A much-needed on indeed. Tripathi raises his bat to soak in the applause as he brings up his half ton. A 29-ball fifty for Tripathi. But hang on, Klaasen has hit this towards deep mid-wicket and has been caught out by Rinku Singh

Their No.3 Tripathi is looking to rebuild the things with Klaasen in the middle. They are taking calculated risks and trying to keep the scoreboard ticking. SRH 62/4 after 8 overs

Kolkata have pushed Sunrisers on the ropes in the powerplay. Starc has got three wickets, while Vaibhav Arora also has one. Sunrisers are in big trouble with Tripathi and Klaasen in the middle. SRH 45/4 after 6 overs

Starc, you beauty. He gets another one. And now he removes Shahbaz Ahmed. it mighr have stuck in the surface a bit as Shahbaz brought his bat down but the ball seemingly came a little late. He plays if on and Starc gets his third one

Starc is having his say here. The big man has taken his second and has now removed Nitish Reddy.

Nitish Reddy is new to the crease, while Rahul is looking fine. But Kolkata have kept Sunrisers in check. SRH 33/2 after 4

A wonderful catch by Russell at covers as KKR remove the other opener too. Abhishek Sharma falls. This one stuck a bit in the crease and Abhishek looked to drive it. But there was no timing as he slices it to covers, where Russell times his jump extremely well. Nitish Reddy is now in. 

Head completely misses the inswinger and has been castled.

And Starc gets the first wicket. It's a big blow. Head walks back for a second-ball duck and KKR are cock-a-hoop. A brilliant inswinger to Head on a good length. Head did not read it well and there is a gap between bat and pads. The balls sneaks in between and hits the timber. Tripathi is now in. SRH 0/1

And here qwe go. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma out in the middle with their willows. Mitchell Starc has the new ball in hand. 

The red carpet is placed with a bit of fireworks at the boundary ropes. The players walk out from the dug-out to get in action. First ball coming up, hang in folks. We a re in for a big one

"The outfield is green and lush. The square boundaries are 63 metres each while it is 70 metres down the ground. The pitch looks a touch dry. Will suit bowlers who will use the off-pace deliveries. In some areas, around the good length, there's a bit of moisture, but it is hard. The power-hitters will play a major role here, looks like a good batting wicket. Won't spin much," Matthew Hayden says in his pitch report

KKR Impact Subs: Anukul Roy, Manish Pandey, Nitish Rana, KS Bharat, Sherfaine Rutherford. Nitish Rana or Manish Pandey should come in later when KKR bat

SRH Impact Subs: Sanvir Singh, Umran Malik, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Jaydev Unadkat. Umran Malik pr Jaydev Unadkat might come in when SRH bowl

 Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy

Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins(c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, T Natarajan

I would have loved to bowl. I had a chat with the curator and he said it's a mixed soil, let's see how it plays, hoping for a good game. Important that we keep the momentum going and stay in the present. Great achievement (finising at the top of the table) and everyone is proud of it, we are taking one match at a time and we need to be positive about what's going to happen here. We are going with the same team.

We gonna have a bat, looks like a good wicket and expect a high-scoring game. The batting group has been amazing for us and hopefully more of the same tonight. We are playing pretty much the same eleven as the last game.

Pat Cummins has won the toss and SRH are batting first. Cummins says he going with pretty much the same team.

The toss is coming up in some moments. Out of the six games played here, teams batting first have won two times while the chasing side has tasted win in other four games. But SRH have found it tough to chase? What will the captains choose?

This is SRH's 7th entry into the playoffs with their last one coming little back in 2020. SRH have won the IPL in 2016. Here is their record in playoffs

Total playoff matches: 11

Won: 5 

Lost: 6

First playoff match: 2013 Eliminator vs Rajasthan Royals (lost)

Latest playoff match: 2020 Qualifier 2 vs Delhi Capitals (lost)

This is KKR's 8th entry into the playoffs. Out of seven seasons in which they have reached the knockouts, twice they have won the title - in 2012 and 2014. Kolkata's made it to the playoffs only once in the last six seasons before this game and ended up being runners-up to CSK in 2021. Is this the season where the 'Kodbo Lodbo Jeetbo' will reign supreme again?

KKR's record in playoffs: 

Total playoff matches: 13

Won: 8

Lost: 5

First playoff match: 2011 Eliminator vs Mumbai Indians (lost)

Latest playoff match: 2021 Final vs Chennai Super Kings (lost

The Aussie guest is in Ahmedabad once again. Most of the Indian fans don't want to see him there but he will be leading his team in their bid for their second title after 2016. 

KKR and SRH have met only once this season, where KKR just managed to hold-on a sensational Heinrich Klaasen firepower. Klaasen scored 63 from 29 balls and kept SRH in the hunt despite the asking rate climbing way too high. But Harshit Rana got the big-hitter and helped KKR win by 4 runs in the run-chase of 209.

Russell has had an impact with both the bat and the ball. His slower ones in the death overs trouble the batters. Russell has the second-most wickets for KKR this year - 15. He has made 222 runs at a strike rate of 222. His impact speaks volumes.

Abhishek Sharma has been a dynamite this season. He has never batted for more than 30 balls in IPL 2024 but has created an impact anyone has hardly managed to. He has scored 467 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 209.41. His SR is the best among players who have scored more than 350 runs. Abhishek is also the first player to have scored over 400 runs while batting in less than 30 balls in each innings in any T20 competition. 

Sunrisers have dominated with the bat and their fast bowling has complemented them well recently. The likes of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen have been hard-hitters, while Pat Cummins, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan have led the charge with the ball. SRH won their last two matches while chasing which suggests they are finding ways to chase down the totals. SRH defeated PBKS in their latest outing while batting second and would like to keep the momentum going if they are asked to do the same.

After being second best in the league stage for most of the time, KKR pipped Rajasthan Royals to take the top spot. They were the first ones to confirm a place in the playoffs. KKR have won four games in a row but their last two games have been abandoned without a ball being bowled. Will they be able to overcome the lack of game time against the likes of SRH would be very crucial for them.

Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen viz a viz Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Rinku Singh - Hard-hitters and players who like to make an impact from the word go. When KKR and SRH meet in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2024, eyes will be on these power hitters. With the league stage done, it's time for the actual business end to roll in. The stakes are much higher now as one of these teams is just two wins away from winning the IPL title. Will KKR repeat the 2012, and 2014 heroics, or will SRH add on to their 2016 glory? They have the power but let's see what they can do in this game. Stay tuned as I Varun Malik, bring ride with you for this potential roller coaster ride.