After ten days of no cricket, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) punched their ticket to the IPL 2024 final in a convincing fashion. The Knights thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a one-sided Qualifier 1 encounter. Mitchell Starc’s early triple blow crippled the Orange Army, who could only manage 159 all out. Fifties from Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer then chased down the target with ease, showcasing KKR’s well-rounded performance.
It was a dominating effort by the table-toppers, who sealed their berth in fourth IPL final. SRH head to Qualifier 2 needing a major turnaround. They will face the winner of Eliminator, which is scheduled to take place today (May 22) between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Starc making INR 24.25 cr count?
Forget the early season struggles, Mitchell Starc turned on the afterburners for KKR in Qualifier 1 against SRH! The Aussie pace machine swung the new ball like a weapon, dismissing SRH opener Head for a golden duck.
Starc wasn’t done there. He went on a wicket-taking rampage in his third over, cleaning up both Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed on successive balls. Ouch! SRH were left reeling at 45/4 after the powerplay and never really recovered. Starc finished with match-winning 3/34, proving his doubters wrong. Considered as ‘overpriced’, if Starc replicates his heroics in the final, it all may be worth it for the Knights!
Iyer and Iyer show takes KKR to IPL 2024 Finals!
While it was Starc with the ball, KKR’s batting rode on the shoulders of the two Iyers. A superb unbeaten partnership of 97 runs between Shreyas and Venkatesh sealed the deal for KKR. The two came together after the side lost the ever-dangerous Sunil Narine. Both Iyers made merry and got to their respective fifties in less than 29 balls. It is pertinent to note that Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy was top-notch as well, making it a 10/10 performance for him!
No ‘Orange’-hot form for SRH
Prior to Qualifier 1, SRH had the best batting run rate among all ten teams. The Pat Cummins-led side made 10.11 runs every over, with their batters operating at a combined strike rate of 168.5. However, there was no party for the Orange Army on the night when it mattered the most! Both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma – the two blazing openers – were dismissed within the first two overs. Meanwhile SRH’s run rate dropped down to 8.15 against KKR.
20 lac at CSK, 1 cr in LPL for Pathirana
Matheesha Pathirana’s stock has skyrocketed after a stellar IPL season with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The young Sri Lankan pacer shattered records in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) auction, becoming the most expensive player in the league’s history. Pathirana’s impressive performances for CSK, where he bagged wickets at a bargain price of just 20 lakhs, saw him fetch a whopping INR 1 crore in the LPL—a fivefold increase! His winning bid was set by the Colombo Strikers ($12,000, to be precise). Only time will tell if CSK goes on to retain Pathirana ahead of next season. If they do, it will boost Pathirana’s contract massively.
IPL < ENG vs PAK for Buttler?
Jos Buttler’s stance is clear: when it comes to preparing for the T20 World Cup 2024, international cricket takes precedence over IPL commitments. Buttler, who recently left his IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) just before the playoffs, believes the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan offers superior preparation for the World Cup defense. This stance highlights the potential conflict between national team commitments and the demands of franchise cricket. Buttler’s decision underscores the importance international cricket holds for some players, particularly when a major tournament looms.
T20 World Cup 2024 co-host real dark horses?
The USA stunned cricket fans on May 21st, defeating Bangladesh in the first T20I of the ongoing three-match series. This win, on home soil, is a major boost for the Americans who co-host the T20 World Cup next month!
Ranked 19th in T20I standing, USA outplayed Bangladesh (9th in rankings). USA bowlers dominated, restricting Bangladesh to 153 runs. Chasing, the American batsmen displayed maturity, securing the win with four overs to spare. Harmeet Singh’s (former U-19 India player) all-around performance earned him Player of the Match honors. This upset hints at the USA’s potential to cause more surprises and emerge as a dark horse in the World Cup.
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