KKR beats Delhi by three wickets, to meet CSK in Final
Sharjah, Oct 13: Rahul Tripathi struck a stunning six in the penultimate delivery after opener Venkatesh Iyer's brilliant half century to help Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by three wickets in the drama-filled second qualifier and enter the IPL final here on Wednesday.
Two-time champions KKR will face three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the summit clash in Dubai on Friday.
The 26-year-old Iyer was the star of the day as he struck a 41-ball 55, laced with four boundaries and three sixes. He shared a 96-run stand for the opening wicket with the talented Shubman Gill (46 off 46 balls) in 12.2 overs to seemingly take the game away from DC's reach.
But the match took an incredible dramatic turn towards the end when KKR lost five wickets for seven runs, four of them for duck.
KKR were cruising at 123 for 1 in 15.5 overs but from their on they suffered a stunning batting collapse.
Nitish Rana (13) was out in the last ball of the 16th over and he was followed by Gill four balls later. Still, there was no panic in the KKR camp before Dinesh Kartik's (0) dismissal in the final ball of the 18th over sent alarm bells.
KKR needed 10 runs from the last two overs but Anrich Nortje removed KKR captain Eoin Morgan (0) with the final ball of the 19th over, leaving KKR seven runs to get from the final over.
Shakib Al Hasan (0) and Sunil Narine (0) were then removed in the third and fourth balls before Tripathi hit a six off Ashwin in the fifth ball to help KKR notch up a stunning win in the end.
This will be KKR's third final appearance after winning the title in 2012 and 2014. They had just about managed to sneak into the play-offs at the expense of five-time defending champions Mumbai Indians, thanks to their better net run-rate.
Chasing a target of 136, Iyer and Gill did not show any sign of struggle that the DC batters encountered in the first innings on a sluggish pitch as they scored runs at a relatively brisk pace.
The young pair got the gaps and rotated strikes to unsettle the DC bowlers, including senior India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, as KKR reached 51 for no loss at the end Powerplay overs.
Iyer swept Ashwin for a four backward of square in the second over before hoisting Axar Patel and Kagiso Rabada for a six each in the fourth and fifth overs respectively.
The only blemish early in the KKR run chase was the dropping of Iyer when on 23 by Rabada on his follow through in the fifth over.
KKR reached 76 for no loss at the halfway mark and the opening pair only got better with the DC bowlers unable to find a way to get the breakthrough.
Iyer was finally out in the 13th over but by that time the match had already turned decisively in favour of KKR.
Earlier, KKR produced a clinical bowling display to restrict DC to 135 for 5.
Sent in to bat, DC batters struggled on a slow pitch with opener Shikhar Dhawan top-scoring with a 39-ball 36 while Shreyas Iyer remained not out on 30 off 27 balls.
Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets for 26 runs while Lockie Ferguson and Shivam Mavi got one each.
After seven dot balls in the first two overs, DC took 12 runs from the third with Shaw hoisting Shakib Al Hasan for a big six. Dhawan joined the party in the fourth over, smacking two consecutive sixes off Sunil Narine.
Chakravarthy broke the dangerous-looking partnership by having Shaw LBW with his first delivery of the day with the batter playing a wrong line to his googly.
Ferguson was impressive as he conceded just nine runs from his first two overs as DC reached 38 for 1 at the end of Power Play overs.
After a quiet period during which Mavi, Narine and Chakravarthy bowled a tight line and length, Dhawan got a boundary in the 10th over to reach 65 for 1 at the halfway mark.
With odd ball skidding low, it was getting difficult to get runs and DC were dealt a blow when Mavi, who was bowling beautifully, got rid of Marcus Stoinis (18).
With pressure building on the DC batters, Dhawan fell in the 15th over while going for a big shot. He could only get an outside edge off a Chakravarthy delivery for Shakib Al Hasan to take a diving catch at backward point.
DC were 83 for 3 in the 15th over when captain Rishabh Pant (6) came in and he disappointed in a crucial match as he went for a big shot the next over only to balloon a Ferguson delivery for Rahul Tripathi to take a regulation catch.
There was no lack of drama as Shimron Hetmyer was caught by Gill off Chakravarthy in the 17th over but it turned out to be a no ball.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
