From Starc vs Head to Cummins vs Shreyas; Key-Battles to Watch Out For in KKR vs SRH, IPL 2024 Final

We have the final two who are set to battle it out for the coveted title of the Indian Premier League 2024. Table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26, Sunday.

Both sides have been outstanding throughout the tournament but KKR will have the upper hand having been beaten twice in the the 2024 edition of the IPL. The first win came at the Eden Gardens where KKR won by 6 wickets while the second came in the playoff stage where the two-time champions secured their spot in the final after beating SRH in Qualifier 1 by 8 wickets.

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Key Battles to Watch Out For

Mitchell Starc vs Travis Head

The first-ball duck will be relatively fresh on the mind of Travis Head. The wicket was taken by Mitchell Starc in the second ball of the innings which helped KKR set the tone in the Qualifier 1 clash. This battle could once again dictate the way the match swings with Head being SRH’s highest run-scorer for the season and his explosive brand of batting allowing the Sunrisers to help set the precedent in their batting innings. Starc on the other hand is rightfully a menace with the new ball and the delivery swinging into the left-hander will be a massive threat with the fuller ball coming in at pace.

Varun Chakravarthy vs Heinrich Klaasen

The mystery-spinner has been in his best form with the ball and with 20 wickets for the season but Heinrich Klaasen is known to play the spinners well. His ability to generate power on the back foot and clear the boundaries will be vital for SRH. But the tracks in Chepauk have been conducive to spin lately and Varun being a Chennai boy will be some experience KKR look to take advantage of.

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Sunil Narine vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Sunil Narine has been in his best form with the bat. Scoring the big runs at the top of the order might not come easy as he has to go up against Bhuvneshwar Kumar who can be lethal with the new ball. Stats show that he has dismissed Narine twice in the 10 instances and has a strike-rate of only 110 which will be a crucial match-up in KKR’s batting innings.

Pat Cummins vs Shreyas Iyer

The battle between the two skippers will be one to watch out for. The two captains will be tested in terms of their leadership. Shreyas has an arsenal in terms of his bowling attack while Cummins has the acumen as the leader and taking the side over the line in the big matches. The leadership when it comes to bowling management or the way they play their batting innings will be decisive in the final.

Rinku Singh vs T Natarajan

If the match does go down to the wire, there are no better players than Rinku Singh with the bat and T Natarajan with the ball. Rinku is outstanding in his role as the finisher. Despite not having the best of seasons this year, his experience of playing in the IPL and international cricket will serve him in good stead and could him turning the game around for KKR. Natarajan on the other hand he has been outstanding with the ball and is SRH’s leading wicket-taker for the season. His ability to bowl yorkers at will poses him as a big threat in the death overs and could dictate how the game goes.

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