In a commanding performance, the Kolkata Knight Riders defeated the Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets to secure their third IPL title. KKR dominated the match, restricting SRH to a mere 113 and chased down the target in just 10.3 overs in Chennai.
SRH's outing in the final was disappointing as they posted the lowest score ever in an IPL final. Bowled out for just 113 in 18.3 overs, they broke the previous record held by Chennai Super Kings. SRH struggled throughout their innings, failing to build any substantial partnerships.
SRH's owner, Kavya Maran, who attended all of the side's matches throughout the season, couldn't hold back the tears following the side's crushing defeat. After initially applauding the side for its effort, Kavya turned around and broke down; she also shunned the consoling efforts from people around her.
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SRH had a woeful outing as the side lost its star openers, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, within the first two overs. With Rahul Tripathi falling for 9 within the Powerplay, SRH was reeling at 41/3 after six overs.
{{/usCountry}}SRH had a woeful outing as the side lost its star openers, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, within the first two overs. With Rahul Tripathi falling for 9 within the Powerplay, SRH was reeling at 41/3 after six overs.
{{/usCountry}}The middle and lower order provided little resistance. Shahbaz Ahmed (8) and Abdul Samad (4) failed to support Heinrich Klaasen, who managed 16 runs. Ultimately, SRH's innings folded at 113, marking the lowest total by a team batting first in an IPL final.
KKR's chase was straightforward. They scored 75/1 in the Powerplay, effectively sealing the match. Despite losing Sunil Narine early, Venkatesh Iyer and Rahmanullah Gurbaz maintained aggressive batting. KKR reached the target in just 9.4 overs, with Venkatesh Iyer also scoring an unbeaten half-century. Shreyas Iyer was the other man unbeaten at the other end.
Third IPL title for KKR
It was the side's first IPL title in 10 years, with their last trophy coming under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir in 2014. Interestingly, Gambhir returned to KKR before this season as the side's mentor.