IPL 2024, KKR crowned champions: Astounding records from the tournament
Kolkata Knight Riders are the champions of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The Shreyas Iyer-led side beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in a high-octane final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26. Notably, KKR clinched their third title, having earlier won in 2012 and 2014. The tournament saw some ground-breaking records, both by players and teams. Here are some of them.
Fifth Indian to win an IPL trophy
KKR skipper Shreyas became the first-ever player to lead multiple sides to IPL finals. Before joining the Knight Riders, Shreyas was a part of Delhi Capitals' steup. In 2020, the Capitals reached their first-ever final under the leadership of Shreyas. Overall, Shreyas is the fifth Indian to win an IPL trophy after Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, and Hardik Pandya.
Three 250+ totals for SRH; KKR in top four
As per ESPNcricinfo, eight of the 10 highest IPL were recorded in 2024. Notably, SRH and KKR occupy the top four spots in this regard. SRH became the first side to post three 250+ totals in an IPL season (287/3 vs RCB, 277/3 vs MI, and 266/7 vs DC). This includes the highest-ever total in franchise cricket. Meanwhile, KKR hammered 272/7 against Delhi Capitals.
An uncanny run-chase for SRH
In Match 57 against Lucknow Super Giants, Abhishek and Head helped SRH chase down 166 in just 9.4 overs. SRH broke their own record to register the highest total after first 10 overs (IPL). Before this, SRH posted 158/4 against DC and 148/2 against MI after 10 overs in the same season. SRH beat LSG with 62 balls to spare, the most in IPL.
Sixes galore!
As many as 1,260 maximums were hit in IPL 2024, the most in a season. Only two other seasons have recorded more than 1,000 sixes - 1,124 in 2023 and 1,062 in 2022. In 2024, the 1,000-six mark was breached in the 57th game, the fastest in this regard. This achievement took a record 13,079 balls to be unlocked.
14 centuries in 2024
The 2024 IPL season saw as many as 14 centuries, the most in a season. Jos Buttler (2), Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Suryakumar Yadav, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Travis Head, Rohit Sharma, Marcus Stoinis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Virat Kohli were the centurions. Notably, 2023 remains the only other IPL season with over 10 centuries (12).
Rampant SRH ace Powerplay
SRH were among the best batting sides in the Powerplay in IPL 2024. Their 125/0 against DC is now the highest Powerplay total in T20 history. SRH also hammered 107 in this phase against LSG in their record run-chase.
Highest successful run-chase in T20 history
Two of the top-three successful run-chases were recorded in IPL 2024. In Match 42, Punjab Kings stunned KKR by recording the highest-ever successful run-chase in T20 cricket. They chased down 262 with eight balls to spare. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals emulated their record of chasing down 224, the joint second-highest successful run-chase in the IPL. They also did so against KKR.
Most sixes, match aggregate in a T20
The PBKS-KKR match recorded 42 total sixes, the highest in any T20 match. Notably, the matches between SRH and MI as well as RCB and SRH saw 38 sixes each. Meanwhile, as many as 549 aggregate runs were hit in the SRH-RCB encounter in Bengaluru. No other T20 game has seen more than 520 runs being struck.
RCB ran riot after losing seven games
RCB miraculously reached the IPL 2024 playoffs after beating Chennai Super Kings in their final league game. The Royal Challengers became the first side to go through after winning only one of their first eight matches. RCB were winless for a month before bagging six straight victories. This became the second-longest winning streak for RCB in the IPL.
Other notable records scripted by players
Kohli became the first-ever player with 8,000 runs in the IPL. He also slammed his eighth ton. Yuzvendra Chahal got to his 200th wicket, the first bowler to do so in the cash-rich league. MS Dhoni, who entertained the fans with his death-overs blitz, became the first player to earn 150 wins in IPL history. Ruturaj Gaikwad became CSK's first-ever captain with a century.
Beating RCB in playoffs a bad omen?
RCB finally lost in the Eliminator, to RR. As per Cricket Statistician Kausthub Gudipati, RCB have lost to MI (2010), CSK (2015), SRH (2020), KKR (2021), and RR (2022) before reaching IPL finals. Notably, none of these teams won the final in the respective seasons.
Two 15-ball half-centuries in IPL
In his maiden IPL season, Australian opener Jake Fraser-McGurk played one breathtaking knock after another and shattered many records. He became the first-ever player to record two 15-ball half-centuries in IPL history. Overall, he slammed four half-centuries, out of which three came under 19 balls or lesser. He struck at a jaw-dropping rate of 234.04 in IPL 2024.
A historic century for Narine
In Match 31 against RR, Narine slammed his maiden century in T20 cricket. He scored a fiery 56-ball 109 (13 fours and 6 sixes). Narine became KKR's third centurion after Brendon McCullum (158* versus RCB, 2008) and Venkatesh Iyer (104 vs MI, 2023). He became the third player after Rohit Sharma and Shane Watson to record a hat-trick and a century in the IPL.
Hundred and multiple wickets in an IPL game
In the same match, Narine also took two wickets (2/30). He became only the third player to score a hundred and take at least one wicket in an IPL match. He joined Chris Gayle (twice) and Shane Watson (twice) in this regard.
Jasprit Bumrah starred in MI's lackluster campaign
Jasprit Bumrah was the star of Mumbai Indians, who finished 10th. The right-arm seamer equaled legend Lasith Malinga's record for taking 20-plus wickets in most seasons. The latter did so in four IPL seasons. During the season, he became the second bowler ever to claim 50-plus IPL wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. He also became the first bowler with multiple fifers for MI.
Highest individual score in IPL run-chases
Marcus Stoinis played the best knock of his IPL career as LSG beat CSK at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Stoinis's unbeaten 124(63) powered LSG to a six-wicket win as they chased down 211 in the IPL 2024 encounter. Stoinis recorded the highest-ever individual score in IPL run-chases. He surpassed Paul Valthaty, who smashed an unbeaten 120 for PBKS against CSK in 2011.
