superb final over! KKR can now breathe. He bowls another slower ball, and foxes Cummins too. On a length in the channel outside off, and there is some extra bounce too, as Cummins swings his bat and is beaten. KKR win by 4 runs
KKR vs SRH, 3rd Match at Kolkata, IPL, Mar 23 2024 - Match Result
A game which could have gone anywhere. In what was typical modern hitting, Russell hammered 64* off 25 balls, and Klaasen hit back with 63 from 29. KKR were 51 for 4 at one stage, before going on to post 208; SRH required 60 in the last three overs, but fell just four short. Exceptional T20 batting from both sides! And with this thriller, we wrap the double-header Saturday up. Join us for another two games tomorrow, as this is Himanshu signing off on behalf of Raghav and Alan. Good night!
Andre Russell is the Player of the Match: "Sometimes I realise how I'm striking the ball... I just try to react to whatever comes my way. Over the last year or two, bowlers have been exceptionally good to me. I'm still figuring out how to score. I realise everyone is coming to me with a plan. I've been a permanent fixture in the XI [since making it there]. What I did tonight is just to say 'keep supporting'. I am happy to contribute with this jersey on. Harshit's body language was on point in the last over; he wanted the ball. If he was shying away from it, it could have gone their way. With the first ball gone for six, he still got the job done."
Shreyas Iyer, KKR captain: "Right from the 17th over I had butterflies in the stomach! To be honest, I thought anything can happen in the last over. Harshit was a bit nervous when he was coming to bowl [the last over]. I told him, 'Even if we lose, it's fine'. I tried to calm him down as much as possible. Narine and Russell have got such experience. Elated to see how Russell performed with bat and ball. Sunny executed well. It is a luxury to have them in the team. Whenever you start with a win, it gives you motivation. There are areas we need to improve on as a team - fielding is one of them!"
Time for the presentations
Afeef: "This game boiled down to Russell vs Klaasen, the two most destructive batsmen from both the squads today"
Ramandeep Singh: "I was really enjoying my time in the middle. Trying to play with intent. All thanks to Gauti paaji and Abhishek Nayar sir. I was striking pretty well in domestic cricket. The way these guys have backed me is tremendous. I really want to play like that (like Russell!). Maybe one day I will play like that! The plan was that Klaasen was really hitting the pace ball. So the message was to take pace off. I really loved the atmosphere at the ground."
Pat Cummins, SRH captain: "Close game in the end. Wonderful game of cricket; unfortunately didn't go our way. Dre Russ did what he does best. You do your planning, and you try to execute your plans. But he's a pretty tough guy to bowl to. Tough job in cricket to bowl to someone like him. It's one of those ones which goes one way or the other. Who would have thought we would have got that close? Unfortunately, a bit too much. Lots to be encouraged by. A couple of points to work on also."
Joel Mick: "There's something that even Cummins can't do!"
Karthik: "Jailbreak :)"
11.25pm The heart rates rose and fell in the final over, which started with SRH requiring 13. The first ball went for six, and thereafter, it was all KKR, as Harshit got Shahbaz, who was playing second fiddle, and Klaasen, who threatened to do the impossible. Before the last over began, Klaasen and Shahbaz had pumped 63 off the three overs just before that. It seemed like KKR were running out of ideas, but just then, Harshit came out with his magical slower balls to deny a rampaging Klaasen, who continues his dream run in this part of the world. Hang around for the presentations.
Cummins
great catch by Suyash! Someone listen to the deafening roar at Eden. Suyash, placed at short third, had to half-turn around while moving back and keeping his eyes on the ball. It arrived on him over his right shoulder, and he tumbled to take it. Another slower ball from Harshit, as he rolls his fingers over it. Bowls on a hittable length, though, and just outside off. Klaasen has a go at it aiming for the leg side, but plays early and gets it off a top edge
S Kishore: "Super Over anyone?" --- Not me...
change of pace on a length just outside off, and angling back in towards middle. Swished to deep midwicket on the bounce
Jansen in, with 6 required off 3. Remember, he can hit it big too!
finds long-on! The crowd at Eden suddenly wakes up from sleep. Shahbaz falls, leaving this on the knife's edge. Harshit went on the shorter side of a length, while angling it across. The ball arrived around middle and off, as Shahbaz shaped to launch it down the ground but mistimed the shot for a simple catch for Shreyas
Shahbaz on 16 off 4 balls
slower ball, and quite full on sixth stump. He went swinging, but got a bottom edge on to his back leg. The ball trickled towards point
7 off 5
blasted over fine leg! This is incredible. He is repeating his heroics from the World Cup last year. Short of a length around off, and absolutely clubbed for a pull for six more
The last five overs have gone for 81. SRH need another 13 from six balls. Harshit will bowl.
Piyush: "Klaasen not interested in finding gaps... only dealing in sixes!"
swiped over deep backward square leg! The local boy is following his partner in cracking sixes. It is a full toss arriving just outside off, with Shahbaz having got across already. The ball lands near his stomach, and he creams it way over the boundary
From over to Shahbaz
an inswinging yorker-length ball on off, and squeezed to long-on
over deep extra cover! This is terrific from Klaasen, who raises his fifty off 25 balls. Full ball and a bit wide of off, with Klaasen, who is deep in the crease, drilling it with a horizontal bat
Klaasened over deep midwicket! On the shorter side of a length, and angled in from around the wicket, as this pitches just outside off and finishes closer to off, with Klaasen pulling for six more
Krishna: "@Yoel, Klaasen keeping me awake one over at a time" --- Hurray!
bowls a yorker which is pretty wide of off. Klaasen still went after it but missed, and it is called wide
From around now
ahh, the length was there to be smashed, but Klaasen missed! On a fullish length around off and angling away after pitching, as Klaasen had a go across the line but was beaten
just over deep midwicket! That came off the inside half of the bat, but who cares? A fullish delivery swinging in and finishing on leg, as Klaasen slogs across to bag another six!
Starc back
Yoel: "Krishna, wake Up!"
bowls full and wide of off, as Shahbaz looks to slash after getting a bit across, but is beaten
this is a huge six! Goes a long way over long-on. Fullish ball and angling across to finish a bit wide of off, with Shahbaz collapsing his back knee to send it flying
From over to Shabaz
yorker length, and quicker on off. Dragged to long-on with his front leg out of the way
From around now
flayed away over long-on! He gets a fullish ball arriving wide of off and turning away, and heaves across the line even as he has to reach out for it
Asad : "Time for Klassen magic"
on the bounce to long-on running forward and across to his right. Short and quick from Varun around middle and off, as Klaasen pulled off the higher side of the bat
rammed down the ground! This was full and just outside off, with a hint of turn away. But Klaasen read that, and crashed it towards the sightscreen
Varun returns
Charan: "SRH should make the most to keep NRR decent" --- Yup, it is never too early for that
over short fine leg! Sharp short ball from Russell, as this arrives on middle stump. Shahbaz takes his eyes off and swivels to pull, getting it over the man at short fine leg
Shahbaz in
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W |
1W | ||||
Eden Gardens, Kolkata | |
Toss | Sunrisers Hyderabad, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2024 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 19.30 start, First Session 19.30-21.00, Interval 21.00-21.20, Second Session 21.20-22.50 |
Match days | 23 March 2024 - night (20-over match) |
SRH Player Replacement | Impact player: in, out (1st innings, 19.6 ov) |
KKR Player Replacement | Impact player: in, out (2nd innings, 7.6 ov) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Kolkata Knight Riders 2, Sunrisers Hyderabad 0 |
Over 20 • SRH 204/7