Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 27 (ANI): The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final witnessed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fuelled with intensity, dominance, belief and becoming the champion of this season with commanding eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
After winning the title back after a ten-year absence, the players’ emotions were at an all-time high, which added to the title’s specialness.
On the same ground in 2012, KKR had clinched their maiden title, and on May 26, 2024, they scripted an encore to lift their third trophy. The KKR bowlers did extremely well to restrict the dangerous SRH batting line-up to 113 – which was chased down in only 10.3 overs with eight wickets in hand.
After the match, KKR’s star all-rounder Andre Russell struggled to hold back tears and he expressed gratitude towards the franchise after clinching the third trophy with the team.
Russell lauded his teammates’ discipline and their work towards one goal. The KKR all-rounder also said the victory was a big gift from him to the Kolkata team management as the franchise had done a lot for him.
“No words to describe [holds his tears]. It means so much. I am happy that all of us were very disciplined and worked towards one goal. This franchise has done a lot for me. It’s a big gift from all of us to them,” Russell told the broadcaster after the game.
Varun Chakravarthy, the mystery spinner, was equally thrilled with his performance, having finished with 21 wickets, his greatest season total, and playing a key player in their push for the title. He also gave their coach, Abhishek Nayyar, credit for the current level of success the team is experiencing.
“All I can think right now is of the person who built this Indian core: Abhishek Nayar. “Please come here,” he asks Abhishek to join,” Chakaravarthy told the broadcaster after the game.
Hard-hitting batter Rinku Singh said that he was thrilled with the victory and felt fulfilled because he had won the title with the team that had given him the chance to leave his imprint seven years earlier. Even though his own performances weren’t the finest, his contributions to the team throughout the course of his tenure with them made him a deserving winner.
“My dream of seven years is complete. Finally, I will lift the trophy. I am proud of my whole team and GG sir. It was God’s plan,” Rinku Singh said. (ANI)
