Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) became the first team to secure a spot in the playoffs after a thrilling 18-run victory against Mumbai Indians (MI) at their home ground, Eden Gardens in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
The match, reduced to 16 overs per side due to persistent rain, saw MI winning the toss and opting to field. The game began explosively with Phil Salt smashing a six off the first ball before being dismissed soon after. KKR found themselves in trouble at 10 for two when Sunil Narine's wicket fell in the second over.
Venkatesh Iyer's aggressive batting turned the tide for KKR, as he counterattacked despite the early setbacks. Although partnerships were scarce, key contributions from players like Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Nitish Rana propelled KKR to a competitive total of 157 for seven.
MI's chase started strongly, particularly with Ishan Kishan's blistering start, but KKR's spinners, led by Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, staged a remarkable comeback by taking crucial wickets and tightening the run flow.
Despite a valiant effort from MI's Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir, KKR held their nerve in the final overs, with Harshit Rana delivering a decisive last over to secure the victory. With this win, KKR confirmed their place in the playoffs, much to the delight of the Eden Gardens faithful.
