Kolkata Knight Riders started their IPL 2024 campaign on a high note, securing a thrilling four-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their tournament opener. Chasing KKR's challenging total of 208, SRH rode on a gritty fifty from Heinrich Klaasen but fell just short despite his valiant effort.
Andre Russell was the star with the bat for KKR, smashing a 25-ball 64 to power them to a competitive total. Englishman Phil Salt also gave the team a solid start with a 38-ball 54. In response, Klaasen threatened to script an unlikely win for SRH with his 25-ball 50. However, KKR bowlers held their nerves in the death overs.
With 13 runs needed off the final over, Harshit Rana delivered under pressure by restricting SRH to just 2 runs off the first three balls. He then deceived Klaasen with a slower ball to dismiss the dangerous batter. Rana defended the next two balls as well to complete a memorable last-over win for his team. Earlier, Mitchell Starc and Varun Chakravarthy had conceded 25 and 21 runs respectively in the 19th and 18th overs to bring SRH back into the chase.
The win would help KKR gain early momentum in the tournament. Russell and Rana's performances with bat and ball were instrumental in securing these valuable two points. While SRH would be disappointed with the loss, Klaasen's battling knock at least gave them a fighting chance in a tight contest.
