After unintentionally interrupting the live post-match event between KKR and SRH in Ahmedabad, Shah Rukh Khan quickly apologised to the former cricket players hosting the show.
Kolkata Knight Riders, who won their fourth final after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets, put on an electrifying display at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The club finished first in the league stage points table. The bowlers set up the incredible victory, taking out SRH for a mere 159 runs before Venkatesh and Shreyas Iyer, on an undefeated 97-run stand, chased it down in 13.4 overs.
In Ahmedabad, where Pat Cummins a few months ago silenced the Indian crowd to win the ODI World Cup, SRH elected to bat first. However, they had a disastrous start as Mitchell Starc took three wickets with the new ball, including Travis Head, who was removed for a duck in the second ball of the match. Rahul Tripathi's explosive 35-ball fifty-five and his 62-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen did manage to save some life from SRH's innings, but KKR responded with a collapse. In just thirty balls for twenty-five runs, Sunrisers lost the following five wickets. But Cummins contributed usefully with the bat to take the score above 150.
The two-time champions, KKR, responded by losing their two openers in the first seven overs, but thanks to fifty-run stands from Venkatesh and captain Shreyas, they managed to chase down 160 with 38 balls remaining.
Following the game, spectators were met with a lap around the Narendra Modi Stadium by co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Shah Rukh Khan, his daughter Suhana, and son AbRam. They accidentally cut off JioCinema's live, in-the-ground IPL 2024 Hindi broadcast program during their gesture for the fans.
Following a swift apology to the show's hosts, former Indian cricket players Aakash Chopra, Parthiv Patel, and Suresh Raina, Shah Rukh hugged each of them and then apologised to the audience watching the broadcast before making his way around the arena.
Suhana was observed holding her brother's hand and carefully avoiding the cameras.
"Oh, what a man! Legend!" smiled Aakash. “He did not even realise that he walked into the show. He was very apologetic, but I said, 'You made our day. You are the showstopper.”
The former opener for India then talked about his 2008–2009 two-year stay with KKR. "I had some time with him at KKR. Back then, I batted at No. 8 as well as No. 6. He offered great assistance."
KKR will now have to wait to play the victor of Qualifier 2 in the final on May 26 at Chennai's Chepauk Stadium. Hyderabad, on the other hand, will play the winner of the eliminator in Qualifier 2 of the T20 event on Friday in Chennai, giving them another chance to get to the final.