IPL 2024: Rana's stunning last over helps KKR hold their nerve to beat Sunrisers in Eden Gardens thriller

An explosive half-century by Andre Russell helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) edge past Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 4 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Saturday. Heinrich Klaasen's 29-ball 63 went in vain as he took SRH close to victory but could not take them beyond the finish line.

Chasing a massive 209-run target Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to a flying start with openers Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma taking the team's total beyond the 50-run mark in just 4.3 overs.

Just when it seemed that Hyderabad openers would run away with the match Harshit Rana got the prized scalp of Agarwal dismissing him for 32 from 21 balls as SRH lost their first wicket for 60.

At the end of powerplay SRH had put on 65/1 in six overs. Andre Russell who had wreaked havoc with the bat also shined with the ball dismissing Abhishek Sharma for 32 from 19 balls reducing the 2016 champions to 71/2 in 7.2 overs.

Rahul Tripathi alongwith Aiden Markram helped Sunrisers Hyderabad cross the triple-figure mark in 10.2 overs.

Varun Chakravarthy gave two-time champions KKR the third breakthrough dismissing Markram for 18 as Sunrisers lost their third wicket for 107 in 11.4 overs.

In the next over Sunil Narine got the wicket of Rahul Tripathi to put SRH in further trouble at 111/4.

Heinrich Klaasen and Abdul Samad then struck a partnership and started a fightback but it was short-lived as the the latter was dismissed for 15 by Andre Russell who got his second wicket.

Shahbaz Ahmed joined in form Klaasen and the duo took SRH's total beyond the 150-run mark in 17.1 overs.

The chase looked almost impossible but Klaasen started a brilliant fightback scoring his half-century in just 25 balls.

Klaasen and Shahbaz Ahmed notched up the 50-run partnership in just 13 balls. Hyderabad team needed 13 runs off the last over as Harshit Rana was asked to bowl the crucial over.

SRH went past the 200-run mark in 19.1 overs. Rana dismissed both Shahbaz for 16 off 5 balls and Klaasen for 63 from 29 balls as the 2016 champions fell short by four runs.

Put to bat first by Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Kolkata Knight Riders were off to a fine start as Phil Salt smacked Marco Jansen for three successive sixes in the second over. However, on the last ball of the over, Sunil Narine, who was sent to open the batting, was run out for a duck. KKR was 23/1 in two overs.

This, however, opened the floodgates for some quick wickets, as pacer T Natrajan dismissed Venkatesh Iyer for seven after being caught by Marco Jansen, while the Indian also removed skipper Shreyas Iyer for a duck after he was caught by Pat Cummins. KKR was 32/3 in 3.5 overs.

Nitish Rana and Salt took KKR to a 50-run mark in 7.1 overs. Mayank Markande, however, dismissed Nitish for just nine as his reverse sweep attempt was caught by Rahul Tripathi at deep backward point. KKR had slipped to 51/4 in 7.3 overs.

Ramandeep Singh joined Salt at the crease. The right-hander attacked Cummins, smashing him for a four and six and dispatched Markande for a six. Halfway through the innings, KKR was 77/4, with Salt (36*) and Ramandeep (20*) unbeaten.Ramandeep continued his onslaught, hitting Jansen for a four and six. KKR reached the 100-run mark in 11.4 overs. The duo brought up their 50-run stand in just 27 balls.