Key takeaways from Kolkata Knight Riders' campaign in IPL 2024
Kolkata Knight Riders lifted the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) title after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in a one-sided final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26. This was KKR's third title and a first one in a decade. They previously tasted glory in 2012 and 2014. Here we look at the key takeaways from their campaign.
KKR bossed the league stage and playoffs
KKR were sensational in the league stage as they topped the points table with nine wins across 14 games. (NRR: +1.428). Two of their matches got abandoned due to rain as they finished with 20 points. They advanced to the final by thrashing SRH in a one-sided Qualifier 1. The Knight Riders dominated the proceedings in the final as well.
Sunil Narine's all-round heroics
Sunil Narine's all-round brilliance was instrumental to KKR's success. He gave KKR flying starts alongside his opening partner Phil Salt, who later departed on national duty. Narine overall smashed 488 runs (SR: 180.74). Notably, he was reinstated as KKR's opener after batting in the lower order in recent seasons. The Caribbean spinner also took 17 wickets with an economy rate of 6.69.
Second-highest run rate in powerplay overs
Salt was equally incredible with his big-hitting as he mustered 435 runs. His jaw-dropping strike rate of 182 was the third-best among batters with 350-plus runs in the season. Salt and Narine's brilliance at the top meant KKR had the second-best powerplay run rate this year (11.12). They added the third-most runs in partnership this year (559 run at a run rate of 12.46).
Here are the other star batters
Venkatesh Iyer, who smoked unbeaten fifties in both playoff matches, accumulated 370 runs, striking at 158.79. Skipper Shreyas Iyer managed 351 runs (SR: 146.86). Both batters averaged over 38. The brilliant show from the top four meant KKR's lower-order batters didn't get many opportunities. Rinku Singh (168 runs at 18.66) hence had limited chances. Ramandeep Singh, who managed 125 runs, struck at 201.61.
Andre Russell starred as well
Narine wasn't the only West Indies all-rounder who starred in IPL 2024. Andre Russell was also sensational as he finished the season with 19 wickets (ER: 10.06). He was KKR's go to bowler in the death overs. With the willow, he managed 222 runs at a strike rate of 185.
Here are the key bowlers
With 21 wickets, Varun Chakravarthy finished as the second-highest wicket-taker (ER: 8.04). Uncapped pacer Harshit Rana claimed 19 wickets while conceding runs at 9.08. Mitchell Starc, who struggled earlier in the season, took 10 wickets in his last five outings. He took the second-most wickets in powerplay this year (11). The left-arm pacer clinched the Player-of-the-Match award in KKR's both playoff matches.
KKR bowlers ace middle overs
It is worth noting that Chakravarthy, Narine, and Russell finished as the top three wicket-takers in the middle overs (7-15) in IPL 2024. Chakravarthy topped this list with 17 scalps, while Narine and Russell took 13 and 12 wickets each.
Best run rates in middle and death overs
KKR had the best run rate in the final four overs (13.02). Their run rate of 9.89 in the middle overs (7-16) is also the best. As KKR spinners were sensational, the team's economy of 8.21 in the middle overs is the best in IPL 2024. However, their powerplay economy (10.03) was the second worst. KKR boast the third-best economy in death overs (10.88).
