Kolkata: The Eden Gardens was the stage for a nail-biting IPL opener for KKR, where the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) snatched victory from the jaws of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by a whisker of four runs.

Early Wobble, Russell to the Rescue

KKR’s batting initially faltered, slumping to 51/4 within the powerplay. However, credit to the SRH fielding, particularly Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, and Pat Cummins, who stifled the KKR top order. The tide turned dramatically when Ramandeep Singh and Andre Russell unleashed carnage. Russell, in particular, was unstoppable, hammering a 25-ball 64, studded with seven sixes, to propel KKR to a competitive 208 after a shaky start.

SRH Fightback Falls Short

SRH’s chase began brightly with Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma stitching together a quickfire 60-run stand. But their progress stalled, and they needed 97 runs off the final eight overs with four wickets down. Enter Heinrich Klaasen and Shahbaz Ahmed, who breathed life back into the chase with a belligerent 58-run partnership. In a whirlwind knock, Klaasen smashed eight sixes, but his dismissal in the penultimate over, followed by Shahbaz’s wicket off the very next ball, proved decisive.

Rana Holds Nerve in Tense Finale

With 13 runs needed off the last over, the tension was palpable. Klaasen smashed a six off the first ball, sending hope through the SRH camp. However, young Harshit Rana stood firm under pressure, conceding just three runs in the remaining five deliveries, including Klaasen’s crucial wicket, to clinch a dramatic victory for KKR.

Russell Deservedly Earns Player of the Match

With both bat and ball, Andre Russell’s all-round brilliance was instrumental in KKR’s win. His brutal knock of 64 and two crucial wickets earned him a well-deserved Player of the Match award.