KKR vs SRH, IPL 2024 Final Purple Cap: Kolkata wins third IPL title as Harshal Patel secures award

In the high-stakes IPL 2024 final, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) engineered a low-scoring showdown against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai. This strategic move ultimately secured the coveted Purple Cap for Harshal Patel of Punjab Kings (PBKS), who emerged as the tournament's leading wicket-taker.

Patel's consistent performance throughout the season surpassed the efforts of Mumbai Indians' (MI) Jasprit Bumrah and KKR's Varun Chakaravarthy, earning him this prestigious accolade.

Choosing to bat first at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, SRH, under the leadership of Pat Cummins, faced a dramatic collapse in their top order, stumbling to 71-6 within the initial 12 overs. Seasoned pacer Mitchell Starc, who had previously dominated in Qualifier 1 against SRH, made an immediate impact by dismissing Abhishek Sharma in the opening over. Starc's three overs in the final yielded just 14 runs and claimed two crucial wickets, elevating his season tally to 15.

Spinner Chakaravarthy, bowling two overs in the final, accounted for the dismissal of Shahbaz Ahmed, concluding the season with 21 wickets and securing second place in the Purple Cap standings. KKR's Harshit Rana also showcased an impressive performance, clinching two vital wickets—those of Nitish Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen—and securing fifth place in the Purple Cap standings as SRH faltered to a mere 113 runs in 18.3 overs.