The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024 final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26. KKR topped the league stage with 20 points from 14 matches, securing their place in Qualifier 1, where they defeated SRH by eight wickets.
This final marks KKR’s fourth appearance in an IPL final, having previously won the title in 2012 and 2014 but finishing as runners-up in 2021. As they aim for their third trophy, we take a look at KKR’s playing XI from their first IPL final in 2012 and where they are now.
Openers : Manvinder Bisla & Gautam Gambhir
Manvinder Bisla :
Bisla was the unexpected hero in the 2012 IPL final, scoring a match-winning 89 runs off 48 balls against Chennai Super Kings. His innings included eight fours and five sixes, helping KKR chase down 191 runs. After playing his last IPL match for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2015, he participated in the US Masters T10 in August 2023 and the Legends Cricket Trophy. He is now 39 years old.
Gautam Gambhir :
Gambhir captained KKR to their first IPL title in 2012, although he only scored 2 runs in the final. He retired from all forms of cricket in December 2018 and ventured into politics. Gambhir has worked as a mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons and returned to KKR in the same role in 2024. He is also involved in cricket commentary and appears on Sportskeeda’s show “SK Match Ki Baat.”
Batters: Laxmi Shukla, Manoj Tiwary
Laxmi Shukla :
Shukla scored only 3 runs in the 2012 IPL final. He had a substantial domestic career with Bengal, playing 137 first-class matches before retiring in 2015. Shukla entered politics in 2016, joining the Trinamool Congress, and served as the Minister of State Sports and Youth Services until January 2021.
Manoj Tiwary :
Tiwary remained unbeaten on 9 off 3 balls in the final. He played 12 ODIs and three T20Is for India and was a significant figure in domestic cricket, scoring over 10,000 runs in 148 first-class matches. Tiwary retired in February 2024 after a Ranji Trophy match against Bihar.
All-rounders :Jacques Kallis, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Rajat Bhatia, Iqbal Abdulla
Jacques Kallis :
Kallis played a crucial role in the final, scoring 69 off 49 balls. He retired from international cricket in July 2014 and became KKR’s head coach in 2015. Kallis has also served as a batting consultant for South Africa and England. He played in the US Masters T10 in 2023 at the age of 47.
Yusuf Pathan :
Pathan scored just 1 run in the 2012 final. Known for his explosive batting, he last played in the IPL in 2019 for Sunrisers Hyderabad and retired from all forms of cricket in February 2021. Pathan has entered politics, securing a Trinamool Congress ticket for the Lok Sabha elections.
Shakib Al Hasan :
Shakib took 1-25 and scored 11 off 7 balls in the final. He is considered Bangladesh’s greatest cricketer, with over 14,500 international runs and 700 wickets. Shakib continues to be a vital part of the Bangladesh national team.
Rajat Bhatia :
Bhatia dismissed Murali Vijay in the final. He later played for Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants in the IPL. After a successful domestic career with Delhi and Rajasthan, he retired from all forms of cricket in July 2020.
Iqbal Abdulla :
Abdulla bowled only one over in the final. He last played in the IPL for RCB in 2017 and was part of India’s U-19 World Cup squad in 2008. He retired in October 2023 at the age of 33.
Bowlers : Sunil Narine, Brett Lee
Sunil Narine :
Narine is the only player from the 2012 final still with KKR in 2024. He has evolved into an all-rounder, scoring 482 runs in 13 innings and taking 16 wickets in the current season. His batting average is 37.08, and his strike rate is 179.85, with an average of 22 for his wickets.
Brett Lee :
Lee’s figures were 0-42 in the 2012 final. He retired from international cricket in 2012 and from T20s in 2015. Lee is regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers and has transitioned into commentary, providing insights during the IPL.
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