Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2024 on Tuesday, winning by 8 wickets to secure a spot in the final. This decisive victory means SRH must now wait to face the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 on May 24. The standout element of KKR's resurgence this season has been the strategic acumen of Gautam Gambhir, who recently rejoined the team as a mentor.

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Gautam Gambhir hailed for KKR's resurgence

Gautam Gambhir, a former KKR captain with two IPL trophies under his belt, has been instrumental in the team's turnaround this season. His return to the franchise brought renewed vigor and strategic depth, which were on full display during the high-stakes match against SRH. Fans and cricket pundits alike have been quick to credit Gambhir for KKR's impressive performance.

On Tuesday, social media was abuzz with praise for Gautam Gambhir, with fans advocating for him to be appointed as the next head coach of Team India. The head coach position will become available this July, and many believe Gambhir's successful track record with KKR and his prior mentorship role with Lucknow Super Giants make him an ideal candidate. 

Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir urged KKR supporters to storm the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26, the day of the final.

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KKR vs SRH, IPL 2024 Qualifier 1

Mitchell Starc-powered Kolkata Knight Riders' juggernaut rolled into the IPL final as the two-time champions produced a ruthless performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad for an eight-wicket win in Qualifier 1 here on Tuesday.

Starc produced a stunning opening burst of three wickets in the powerplay to break the back of SRH’s dangerous batting.

They were eventually shot out for a mere 159 in 19.3 overs with Rahul Tripathi scoring a vital 55 while Heinrich Klaasen (32) and Pat Cummins (30) also fought hard.

On a benign wicket in steaming hot conditions, SRH’s fight petered out as KKR knocked off the innocuous 160-run target in a mere 13.4 overs with skipper Shreyas Iyer (58 not out off 24) and Venkatesh Iyer (51 not out off 28) taking them over the line.

KKR will play their fourth IPL final in Chennai on Sunday.

SRH, who had pipped Rajasthan Royals on the final day of the league stage to finish second in the points table, will now proceed to Chennai to have another crack at making the summit clash with the Qualifier 2 to be played on May 24.

The Pat Cummins-led side will face the winner of the Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru here on Wednesday.