The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 concluded with Kolkata Knight Riders emerging as the deserved winners. In the summit clash on Sunday, the Knight Riders left little scope for improvement, producing a terrific all-round performance to decimate the Sunrisers Hyderabad. With the title triumph, KKR ended their 10-year wait for the IPL title, having last tasted success in 2014 under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir. The former India opener’s return to the franchise as mentor turned their fortunes around. After the conclusion of the final, Gambhir shared a 3-word post that summed up his mindset.

Taking to social media, Gambhir wrote: “Dare to Dream”, highlighting the power of manifestation as the Knight Riders ended their long trophy drought.

Dare to Dream!! pic.twitter.com/y43y1X3Lyc

— Gautam Gambhir (Modi Ka Parivar) (@GautamGambhir) May 27, 2024

As for the match, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc bowled a sensational opening spell to fire his team to an 8-wicket win in the summit clash. Kolkata bowled out Hyderabad for IPL’s lowest total of 113 in a final as Australia’s left-arm quick Starc returned figures of 2-14 to live up to his top billing in the world’s most lucrative T20 tournament.

Starc went to Kolkata for a record $2.98 million in the December auction and ended the IPL with two stellar performances, including a match-winning 3-34 in the first play-off to hammer the same opponent.

Kolkata’s batsmen had it easy and despite Sunil Narine‘s early departure, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who made 39, and Venkatesh Iyer, on 52 not out, helped the team home with 9.3 overs to spare after a partnership of 91.

Iyer, a left-handed batsman, reached his 50 in 24 balls and hit the winning runs to trigger celebrations for Kolkata, who remained the most dominant team after they ended top of the table with 20 points in the league phase.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer was unbeaten on six, and at the other end, when Kolkata players came rushing on to the pitch and the stadium fireworks went off.

Players and national teams now move into the T20 World Cup starting June 1 in the West Indies and the United States.

With AFP inputs