Gautam Gambhir erupts, SRH dugout crushed as KKR's Harshit Rana sensationally defends 6 off 5 in IPL 2024 thriller
Harshit Rana produced a brilliant final over as KKR defeated SRH by 4 runs to make a victorious start in IPL 2024
Sunrisers Hyderabad nearly stole the victory from Kolkata Knight Riders, riding on a sensational knock from Heinrich Klaasen on late Saturday night at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, but 22-year-old Harshit Rana held his nerves under pressure and successfully defended 12 runs in the final over as KKR prevailed in the last-ball thriller. SRH dug out was left devasted at the sight while Gautam Gambhir, who arrived at his old franchise as their new mentor for the IPL 2024 season, was left elated.
How often have you seen Gambhir all smiles and in a wild celebration? Given what had unfolded before his eyes, from Klaasen smashing Mitchell Starc all around the ground in a 26-run penultimate over to Rana keeping him silent in the final over, Gambhir let his emotions flow.
SRH were well out of the chase with 65 required in the final four overs. Abdul Samad looked to tee off, smashing a six and four against Andre Russell, but was dismissed in the 17th over, leaving the visitors five down for 145 runs. Shahbaz Ahmed then combined with Klaasen to smash 21 runs against Varun Chakravarthy in the next over followed by 26 runs, laced with four maximums, against Starc, who was the most buy in IPL history at the auction last December in the 19th over.
With 13 required in the final six balls, Klaasen looked in absolute hurry to wrap up the chase as he welcomed Rana with a huge six over deep backward square. Shahbaz looked to emulate the same as well in the third ball of the final over, but was undone by the slower one from the right-arm pacer as he holed it out to Shreyas Iyer at long-on.
SRH needed Klaasen to be on strike for the final three balls and Marco Jansen, the new batter in, managed to get that on the first ball he faced. However, Rana stuck to his plan of bowling slower deliveries as the SRH star got a leading edge. It looked like he would escape the error, but a stunning effort from Suyash Sharma at short third saw Klaasen depart in disappointment. He scored 63 off 29 balls.
In the final ball, SRH skipper Pat Cummins looked to counter the slower-ball strategy as he shufffled across for a big swing, but failed to connect as KKR scripted a thrilling four-run win to kick off their brand new season in style.
Gambhir was over the moon as the sight as he hugged his fellow KKR support staff before congratulating the players with a big smile on his face.
What was the final over strategy?
It was nothing but a simple pep talk from captain Iyer to calm the nerves of Rana, who he reckoned, looked nervous at the start.
"Right from the 17th over, had butterflies in my stomach. Felt anything could happen in the last over. They needed 13 runs and we didn't have the most experienced bowler. But I had the belief in him, and I told him to back himself and it doesn't matter what happens. He was a bit nervous coming in, and I just looked him in the eye and told him 'this is your moment, buddy.' Told him to back himself and doesn't matter what happens in the game," he said after the match.
