Who Won IPL 2024: The Best Season Champion

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, a cricketing extravaganza that unfolded with an abundance of adrenaline-pumping matches and nail-biting moments, has now drawn its curtains, revealing a champion who secured their title in a spectacular display of dominance. The tournament, renowned for its ability to captivate millions of cricket enthusiasts worldwide, lived up to its lofty reputation by delivering a series of captivating contests and high-scoring thrillers. However, the season ultimately belonged to the most consistent and invincible side: the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Who won IPL 2024? The answer, etched into the annals of IPL history, is the Kolkata Knight Riders, captained by Shreyas Iyer. KKR secured their third IPL title in a stunningly one-sided final on May 26, 2024, at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, defeating the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The final was a testament to KKR’s strategic brilliance, unparalleled team cohesion, and ruthless execution, capping off what their skipper aptly described as a “flawless season.”

Analysis of the IPL 2024 Grand Finale

The IPL 2024 final match was anticipated as a high-octane clash between two teams who had dominated the league stage, yet it quickly became one of the most one-sided title matches in the tournament’s history. Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that immediately backfired.

KKR’s Bowling Masterclass

The tone for the evening was set by Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player in IPL auction history. Starc delivered a sensational in-swinger on the second ball of the first over, dismissing the in-form Abhishek Sharma and triggering an immediate collapse. Fellow Australian Travis Head followed suit a ball later, falling for a duck to Vaibhav Arora. SRH’s aggressive, high-scoring top-order, which had smashed numerous records throughout the season, imploded under the pressure of the final.

The pressure never relented. All-rounder Andre Russell was sensational, showcasing why he remains one of the greatest T20 players by grabbing figures of $3/19$ in his $2.3$ overs. Harshit Rana backed him up perfectly with $2/24$. The combined effort restricted Sunrisers Hyderabad to a paltry total of 113 all out in just 18.3 overs, the lowest first-innings total in an IPL final. Starc was rightly adjudged the Player of the Match for his breathtaking opening spell.

The Lightning-Fast Chase

Chasing only 114, Kolkata Knight Riders approached the target with an unyielding determination to finish quickly and decisively. Although star opener Sunil Narine fell cheaply, the in-form Venkatesh Iyer launched a blistering counter-attack, smashing the opposition bowlers all over the Chepauk ground. Iyer raced to a sensational unbeaten half-century (52* off 26 balls), ably supported by Rahmanullah Gurbaz (39 off 32 balls), ensuring the run-chase was completed in a mere 10.3 overs. KKR’s 8-wicket victory with 57 balls remaining set a new record for the fastest successful chase in an IPL final, cementing their dominant campaign.

Player Performances That Stood Out: IPL 2024 Statistics

The 2024 season was defined by monumental individual achievements that thrilled cricket fans. The race for the prestigious individual awards highlighted the exceptional batting prowess and bowling skills on display.

• Orange Cap Winner (Most Runs): Virat Kohli of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) reaffirmed his status as a batting legend, claiming the Orange Cap with a magnificent total of 741 runs across 15 matches. His season included a century and five half-centuries, maintaining a stellar average of $61.75$ and a high-impact strike rate of $154.69$.
• Purple Cap Winner (Most Wickets): The coveted Purple Cap went to Harshal Patel of the Punjab Kings (PBKS), who showcased exceptional death bowling skills to secure 24 wickets in 14 matches.
• Player of the Tournament (MVP): The ultimate individual accolade, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, was bestowed upon Sunil Narine of Kolkata Knight Riders. Narine reinvented himself as an opener, scoring an impressive 488 runs—including a century—while simultaneously proving his worth with the ball by taking 17 crucial wickets, a phenomenal all-round contribution that drove KKR’s title run.

Other notable mentions include the aggressive opener Travis Head (567 runs with a strike rate of 191.55) and the young sensation Riyan Parag (573 runs) of the Rajasthan Royals.

Read more blogs here.

The Triumphant Journey: Kolkata Knight Riders’ Legacy

KKR’s victory was no fluke; it was the culmination of a systematic and resilient season. They finished atop the IPL 2024 Points Table and navigated the playoff stage flawlessly, defeating SRH in both Qualifier 1 and the Final. This was a team that combined the strategic calmness of Captain Shreyas Iyer with the mentorship of team builder Gautam Gambhir, who returned as a mentor to guide the franchise to a title eleven years after his own captaincy triumph in 2014.

The season was also a testament to exceptional teamwork, with key contributions across the squad:

• The explosive opening partnership of Narine and Phil Salt.
• The middle-order solidity provided by Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer.
• The potent pace attack featuring the record-breaking, high-stakes pace of Mitchell Starc and the youthful energy of Harshit Rana.

By clinching the trophy, KKR joined the elite ranks of IPL teams with three titles (2012, 2014, 2024), trailing only the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, who both have five.

Looking Ahead: The Future Trajectory of the IPL

As the celebration for the IPL 2024 champion fades, the cricketing community immediately turns its attention to the next IPL season. The IPL has firmly established itself as the world’s premier T20 league, and the speculation for the future is already underway.

The 2024 edition did not feature a new team entry, but the competitiveness among the existing 10 franchises was intense. Discussions for the next IPL match schedule and potential format innovations continue, reflecting the league’s dynamic nature. The focus will now shift to the IPL 2025 mega-auction, where teams will strategize to retain their core stars while seeking the next generation of cricketing heroes to challenge the formidable legacy set by the Kolkata Knight Riders. The enduring impact of IPL on cricket enthusiasts worldwide ensures that the spirit of the game, with its electric atmosphere and high-stakes drama, will continue to resonate until the very first ball of the next season is bowled.

FAQ’s