In a one-sided affair, the Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets to win their third IPL trophy, cementing their status as the tournament's strongest all-around team. Chasing a weak total of 114, KKR made short work of the SRH attack, led by Venkatesh Iyer's explosive 52* off 26 deliveries and a steady, unbeaten 6 from Shreyas Iyer.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) exhibited a dominant performance to outclass Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 8 wickets and clinch their third IPL trophy. KKR was the best batting and bowling side of the tournament. Chasing a below-par target of 114, Venkatesh Iyer ripped apart the SRH bowlers, producing a blistering knock of 52* from just 26 balls while Shreyas Iyer chipped in with an unbeaten 6.
The game started poorly for SRH after captain Pat Cummins opted to bat first. Mitchell Starc set the tone immediately, bowling a sensational delivery to remove Abhishek Sharma for 2 in the opening over—a highlight of the tournament. The collapse continued as Vaibhav Arora dismissed Travis Head for a duck shortly after. Starc then claimed Rahul Tripathi for 9, while Harshit Rana used a variety of speeds to trick Nitish Kumar Reddy into a mistake, ending his stay at 13.
Aiden Markram looked to anchor the innings but fell for 20 after a lapse in judgment. The KKR bowlers remained disciplined, picking up wickets at regular intervals to stifle any hope of a recovery. Harshit Rana dealt a fatal blow by removing Heinrich Klaasen for 16 in the 15th over. Though Pat Cummins managed a quick 24 to push the score past 100, SRH were eventually bundled out for 113, the lowest score ever recorded in an IPL final. Andre Russell was a standout with three wickets, supported by a wicket each from Starc and Rana.
SRH had a brief moment of hope when Cummins dismissed Sunil Narine for 6 early in the chase. However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Venkatesh Iyer responded with an aggressive partnership, putting on 91 runs and completely seizing control of the game. After Gurbaz fell for 39, KKR coasted to a comfortable victory. Adding to the celebrations, Narine set a new record by winning the 'Most Valuable Player' award for the third time.