SunRisers Hyderabad, who has notched some very great high-total batting records in the IPL 2024, could not replicate the same against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The Pat Cummins-led side could just score 159 batting first. The target was chased down by KKR in less than 14 overs. SRH will now face the winner of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals Eliminator for a place in the IPL 2024 final.
SRH star Rahul Tripathi, top-scored for his team with a gritty 55. After he got out, his distraught image went viral on social media, with one account calling it the 'most heart-breaking photo of the day'. Later, KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan met Tripathi, a former player of the franchise, and hugged him.
The match also saw KKR's Mitchell Starc come up with tremendous figures. The Rs 24.75 crore buy returned with three wickets and effectively broke SRH's resistance right at the start.
Former Australia cricketer Shane Watson showered praise on Starc. Speaking on JioCinema, Watson said:
"He was brilliant from ball one. It's obvious with Mitchell Starc that if he gets the first few balls right on the money, the length, the line, and the swing, then you know he's on top of his game. Throughout this TATA IPL, he's been hit-or-miss, maybe more miss than hit. But tonight, he was at his very best. You would think the ten days from the previous game to this one gave him time to physically and mentally freshen up, and he hit the ground running. He got Travis Head out in the second ball and things went extremely well from there for Mitchell Starc and KKR," Watson said.