Best IPL Team 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders create history!
Under old mentor Gautam Gambhir, who returned to the franchise after years, and young captain Shreyas Iyer, IPL’s Knight Riders franchise emerged as a superior side that hardly put a step wrong.
Image Credits: R.SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images
Title winners Kolkata Knight Riders have easily been the best IPL team in 2024 following their domineering season. Not only did the side lose just three of the 14 league games they played on their way to the final, but also bettered many records in the process.
Image Credits: @mufaddal_vohra( X Account)
Under old mentor Gautam Gambhir, who returned to the franchise after years, and young captain Shreyas Iyer, IPL’s Knight Riders franchise emerged as a superior side that hardly put a step wrong.
The best example of that was their Net Run Rate of 1.428, which was the most by any side in IPL history.
IPL 2024 Points Table
IPL 2024 Points Table
| Ranks | Teams | Matches | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
| 1 | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | 14 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 1.428 |
| 2 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 14 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 0.414 |
| 3 | Rajasthan Royals (RR) | 14 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 0.273 |
| 4 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB) | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0.459 |
| 5 | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0.392 |
| 6 | Delhi Capitals (DC) | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | -0.377 |
| 7 | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | 14 | 7 | 7 | 14 | -0.667 |
| 8 | Gujarat Titans (GT) | 14 | 5 | 7 | 12 | -1.063 |
| 9 | Punjab Kings (PBKS) | 14 | 5 | 9 | 10 | -0.353 |
| 10 | Mumbai Indians (MI) | 14 | 4 | 10 | 8 | -0.318 |
Having won the title previously in 2012 and 2014, KKR had a blueprint of their pathway with the franchise leading the charts in many scenarios.
KKR hit Most Boundaries in IPL 2024
| Position | Team | Boundaries |
| 1 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 238 |
| 2 | Rajasthan Royals | 236 |
| 3 | Royal Challngers Bangalore | 229 |
Thanks to openers Sunil Narine and Phil Salt, KKR would get off to explosive starts more often than not and accumulate gigantic totals that boosted their net run rate in the overall scheme of things. Both the batters ended up hitting 50 boundaries in 15 matches and lead the list of players hitting the most fours in an inning (Salt: 14 boundaries; Narine: 13 boundaries).
Image Credits: @baabi_98 (X Account)
KKR bowled Most Dot Balls in IPL 2024
| Position | Team | Boundaries |
| 1 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 623 |
| 2 | Rajasthan Royals | 592 |
| 3 | Royal Challngers Bangalore | 581 |
Leading the charge of the ball was Kolkata Knight Riders’ mystery spinner Suni Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. After the batters whacked the ball all around the park, the spinning duo ensured that the opponents choked on dot balls and were forced to make mistakes. While Narine and Chakravarthy bowled 127 and 125 dot balls, respectively, premier fast bowler Mitchell Starc chipped in with 105 blanks of his own.
Image Credits: @KkrKaravan (X Account)
KKR took the Most Wickets in IPL 2024
| Position | Team | Boundaries |
| 1 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 110 |
| 2 | Punjab Kings | 101 |
| 3 | Delhi Capitals | 99 |
KKR spinner Varun Chakravarthy missed the purple cap to Harshal Patel (24 wickets) by just three wickets as two of KKR’s matches were washed out in the later stages of the tournament. While Chakravarthy ended with 21 wickets, KKR also saw all-rounders Harshit Rana (19), Andre Russell (19) and Sunil Narine (17) contributing to the cause.
KKR took Most Catches in IPL 2024
| Position | Team | Boundaries |
| 1 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 81 |
| 2 | Punjab Kings | 70 |
| 3 | Rajasthan Royals | 69 |
After batting and bowling, the Purple and Gold Army dominated on the field as well, taking as many as 81 catches in the entire tournament. The next best fielding sides were Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals who took 11 and 12 catches lesser than KKR, respectively, which goes on to show the sharpness in their fielding.
KKR | The Chaser Master of IPL 2024
During the 2024 IPL season, KKR had the opportunity to bat second in five matches, and under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, they won all of those games.
Shreyas Iyer's Unbeaten Run During Chases
KKR captain Shreyas Iyer was the backbone of the team's run chases in IPL 2024, remaining unbeaten whenever they batted second. Throughout the season, Iyer accumulated 351 runs in 14 matches, boasting a strike rate of 146.86 and an average of 39.
Less Reliance On Andre Russell's Batting
Typically a key figure in KKR's batting lineup, Andre Russell didn't need to bat during any of the team's chases this season. This reflects the strength and consistency of KKR's batting performance in 2024, where they frequently avoided trouble.
Image Credits: @Rokte_Amarr_KKR (X.com)
Efficient Run Chases
KKR's dominance was evident in their efficient run chases. They never required more than 17 overs to reach their targets in the five matches where they batted second, showcasing their ability to overpower opponents with ease.
KKR dominated Every Powerplay
KKR's opening duo of Phil Salt and Sunil Narine consistently provided strong starts throughout the season. Even when Rahmanullah Gurbaz replaced Salt in the final two matches, KKR's dominance in the first six overs persisted. Demonstrating their supremacy in run chases, KKR scored over 60 runs in the powerplay in every match where they batted second.
Interesting Facts That Make KKR the Best Team in IPL 2024
● In the IPL 2024 final, KKR achieved a resounding victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), completing the chase with 57 balls remaining—the largest margin in an IPL playoff game. The previous record was KKR's win with 38 balls left in Qualifier 1, also against SRH in Ahmedabad.
● In the final, KKR restricted SRH to a mere 113 runs, setting a new low for an IPL final; the previous lowest was 125 for 9 by CSK against MI in 2013.
● KKR bowled out their opponents six times in IPL 2024, the most by any team in a single IPL season, surpassing MI's record of four in 2008 and 2010.
● Mitchell Starc made history by being named Player of the Match twice in the playoffs of an IPL season, earning the award in both Qualifier 1 and the final against SRH.
● Sunil Narine clinched the MVP award for the third time in his IPL career (2012, 2018, and 2024), becoming the first player to do so, surpassing Shane Watson and Andre Russell, who each won twice.
● Venkatesh Iyer scored a 24-ball fifty in the final, tying the record for the fastest in an IPL final, matching Suresh Raina (2010) and David Warner (2016).
FAQ
Sunil Narine is having a tremendous season in the IPL 2024. He was a good batsman and ball player. Because he received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, he was named Sunil Narine of the Kolkata Knight Riders.
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An M.A. in English Literature, Subhayan is an experienced journalist and sports writer. Having worked as a journalist at Hindustan Times, Subhayan covered diverse beats including sports, education, and health, showcasing his versatility and in-depth understanding of various subjects.