The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have won the Indian Premier League (IPL) after a decisive eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final match.
The victory, held in Chennai, marks KKR’s third IPL title and their first since 2014.
Mitchell Starc gave KKR a strong start by bowling out Sunrisers’ opener Abhishek Sharma in the first over. Sunrisers struggled to recover and were all out for 113, the lowest score ever in an IPL final. Every KKR bowler took at least one wicket, with Andre Russell shining with figures of 3-19.
KKR chased down the target in just 10.3 overs, thanks to Venkatesh Iyer’s unbeaten 52 runs from 26 balls and a partnership of 91 runs with Rahmanullah Gurbaz. KKR finished at the top of the group, and this win confirmed their dominance this season.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Australia’s Pat Cummins, must wait another year to try for their second IPL title, their first being in 2016. Cummins praised KKR, saying, “They bowled fantastically, and unfortunately, my old mate Starcy [Mitchell Starc] turned it on again. We were totally outplayed.”
KKR’s captain, Shreyas Iyer, expressed his joy, stating, “It’s hard to describe what we are feeling right now. We’ve played like invincibles throughout the season.”
Despite early doubts about KKR’s high bid for Starc and his slow start, he proved crucial in the final. Starc, named Player of the Match, said, “It’s a great night for KKR. We’ve had a fantastic squad of players and staff. It’s been a long time since I’ve played in the IPL, and I’m a lot more experienced now.”
