Two of the quickest-scoring teams in this IPL could produce another run-fest in the first qualifier in Ahmedabad, especially if it serves up a bouncy, red-soil track.
In a battle between the top two teams of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), the winner of the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad will qualify for the final. The match played at the Narendra Modi Stadium could be decided by the might of the openers and the Powerplay. With the scoring rates surging to a record high this season, KKR and SRH have stood at the forefront of the batting revolution led by their deadly opening pairs during the league-stage
While Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma bludgeoned the opposition bowlers up top for Hyderabad, Sunil Narine and Phil Salt formed a successful attacking pair for Kolkata. KKR will miss the services of Salt for the playoffs after the England star flew back to fulfill national commitments ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Head and Abhishek lead the batting charts as the most successful pair of the season with 676 runs at a staggering run rate of 13.74 across three 100-plus stands and two half-century partnerships. The duo also notched up two 100-plus partnerships within the PowerPlay – a record in the IPL. Meanwhile, Narine and Salt are third on the list with 559 runs at a 12.46 run rate.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have also figured out an aggressive No.3 option in Rahul Tripathi to strengthen their top order. But can they dial down their aggression and still find a way, if Ahmedabad throws up a slow, black-soil turner? In March, which seems ages go, SRH managed only 162 for 8 on a black-soil surface that suited Gujarat Titans’ spinners.
Regardless of the colour and nature of the surface, Narine and Varun Chakravarthy have the pedigree to take wickets or restrict the opposition. But KKR will have to rock up cold on Tuesday, having endured washouts in their last two league matches, including one in Ahmedabad. Especially, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Salt’s like-for-like replacement, who has not featured in IPL 2024 and last played cricket in mid-March.
It was back on May 11 that KKR had confirmed their place in the playoffs after beating Mumbai Indians in a truncated game at home. They haven’t been in action since and it might not be easy to hit the ground running after a ten-day break, table-toppers or otherwise.
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 match will start at 7:30 PM IST.
The toss for the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 match will take place at 7:00 PM IST.
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India.
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 match will be streamed live on the JioCinema app and website.
