3 best bowling performances for KKR in IPL finals ft. Sunil Narine
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024 final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26. KKR beat SRH in Qualifier 1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to book their place in the summit clash. Meanwhile, Hyderabad beat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to set up a clash with Kolkata in the final.
Kolkata Knight Riders will be featuring in the IPL final for the fourth time. They reached the summit clash for the first time in 2012. They clinced their maiden title, beating Chennai Super Kings by five wickets at Chepauk. Kolkata beat Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) by three wickets in the 2014 final in Bengaluru to lift the trophy for the second time.
KKR reached the IPL final for the third time during the 2021 edition but went down to CSK by 27 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Batting first, CSK posted 192-3 before restricting Kolkata to 165-9.
There have been some handy bowling performances by Kolkata Knight Riders during their IPL final appearances. As Kolkata prepare to feature in the summit clash for the fourth time, we revisit three of the best bowling performances by their players in previous finals.
#3 Jacques Kallis (1-34) vs CSK, IPL 2012 final
Legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis registered figures of 1-34 from his four overs in the IPL 2012 final against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk. He got the big wicket of Mike Hussey as CSK posted 190-3, batting first.
Kallis dismissed Hussey for 54 off 43 at a crucial stage of the game. The KKR all-rounder bowled a good-length ball and knocked over the CSK opener, who attempted a swipe but completely missed the delivery.
Chennai were well placed at 160-1 after 17 overs. With the first ball of the 18th over, Kallis dismissed Hussey.
Chennai finished their innings 190-3 before Kolkata chased down the target in 19.4 overs with five wickets in hand. While opener Manvinder Bisla top-scored with 89 off 48, Kallis had a good all-round game, contributing 69 off 49 in the chase.
#2 Piyush Chawla (2-44) vs PBKS, IPL 2014 final
Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla claimed 2-44 in four overs for KKR against PBKS in the 2014 IPL final at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. He went for a few runs, but picked up the key scalps of Manan Vohra and Glenn Maxwell as Punjab Kings were held to 199-4, batting first.
Opening the innings for Punjab, Vohra scored an impressive 67 off 52, hitting six fours and two sixes. It needed a well-judged catch from Chawla off his own bowling to end Vohra stay in the middle.
The PBKS batter attempted a big hit off the KKR leggi, but ended up miscuing his stroke. The ball went high up in the air, and Chawla almost dropped it before taking the rebound.
The Kolkata leg-spinner had two in the over when he dismissed the dangerous but unpredictable Maxwell for a duck. The Aussie maverick went for his trademark reverse sweep but was caught by the tall Morne Morkel at short third man. Wriddhiman Saha's 115* off 55 took Punjab to 199-4.
Chasing 200, Kolkata got home in the last over courtesy of a fine knock from Manish Pandey, who slammed 94 off 50. Chawla hit the winning runs, slicing a low full-toss from Parvinder Awana over cover for four.
#1 Sunil Narine (2-26) vs CSK, IPL 2021 final
KKR legend Sunil Narine registered excellent figures of 2-26 from his four overs in the IPL 2021 final against CSK in Dubai.
The seasoned off-spinner claimed two of the three wickets to fall in Chennai's innings, dismissing Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa, as the batting side put up 192-3.
After Kolkata won the toss and opted to bowl first, Narine ended the opening stand of 61 by getting the scalp of Gaikwad for 32 off 27. The CSK opener came down the track and attempted to loft a full ball from Narine. He, however, miscued the stroke and sliced a catch to long-off.
The canny KKR spinner then ended Uthappa's breezy cameo for 31 off 15. Narine trapped Uthappa leg before as the Chennai batter went for a reverse sweep but completely missed the ball. Faf du Plessis (86 off 59) and Moeen Ali (37* off 20) pushed CSK past the 190-run mark.
Chasing 193, Kolkata Knight Riders got off to a brilliant start as Venkatesh Iyer (50 off 32) and Shubman Gill (51 off 43) added 91 in 10.4 overs. However, once the opening stand was broken, KKR completely lost their way and were held to 165-9.