Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan lauded Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer, attributing his exceptional leadership to KKR’s commanding eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Qualifier 1 at Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.
Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 58-run blitz off just 24 balls, featuring five fours and four sixes, steered KKR to victory as they chased down SRH’s target of 160 runs with ease. Pathan, expressing his admiration for Iyer’s tactical acumen, took to his official X account to commend the skipper’s outstanding performance throughout the 17th season of the IPL.
“Shreyas Iyer has been outstanding with his changes throughout the season. But today he took his captaincy to another level,” Irfan Pathan wrote on X.
Opting to bat first, Sunrisers Hyderabad struggled early on, reduced to 39/4 by an impressive power play spell from KKR’s Mitchell Starc. Despite the initial setback, a resilient 62-run partnership between Rahul Tripathi (55 runs off 35 balls) and Heinrich Klaasen (32 runs off 21 balls) propelled SRH past the 100-run mark. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, and a late surge from skipper Mitchell Starc (30 runs off 24 balls) guided SRH to a competitive total of 159 runs in 19.3 overs.
In response, KKR’s opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (23 runs off 14 balls) and Sunil Narine (21 runs off 16 balls) provided a solid start with a 44-run partnership. However, it was the explosive batting display from skipper Shreyas Iyer (58* runs off 24 balls) and Venkatesh Iyer (51* runs off 28 balls) that stole the show. Their attacking half-centuries dismantled SRH’s bowling attack, propelling KKR to victory with 38 balls to spare.
With this emphatic win, Kolkata Knight Riders secured a direct spot in the IPL final. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad will have another chance to reach the title clash and will face the winner of the eliminator match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2.
KKR’s dominant performance, coupled with Shreyas Iyer’s stellar leadership, has set the stage for an exciting final showdown as the IPL 2024 season reaches its climax.
