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League stage winners Kolkata Knight Riders are aiming to end ten years of hurt by winning their third IPL title, but standing in their way are 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad, who defeated Rajasthan Royals in the second qualifier.
DATE/TIME: Sunday 26th May 2024, UK – 15:00 / INDIA – 19:30 / US EST – 10:00 / US PST – 08:00
VENUE: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, India
WEATHER: Cloudy conditions, but dry and hot with a gentle breeze and temperatures at around 32c.
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Sky Sports / INDIA – Star Sports / US – Willow TV
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Sky Go / INDIA – JioCinema App / US – Willow TV
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS FORM: KKR UNBEATEN SINCE LATE APRIL WITH FIVE VICTORIES TO THEIR NAME
In the seven fixtures Kolkata Knight Riders have played since their defeat at the hands of Punjab Kings, they have won five with the other two games being abandoned without a ball being bowled due to inclement weather. Most recently, they got the better of Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the first qualifier, earning a fast pass to the 2024 IPL final
LAST FIVE: WAAWW
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD FORM: SRH BOUNCE BACK FROM FIRST QUALIFIER LOSS TO BREAK RAJASTHAN HEARTS
Sunrisers Hyderabad had to do things the hard way after being comprehensively outplayed by KKR in Ahmedabad. But the benefit of finishing second-place in the league stage was that it guaranteed them a second chance to qualify for the final, which they duly took, overcoming eliminator winners Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs in a dominant showing, setting up a rematch with KKR in Chennai.
LAST FIVE: WLWAW
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS BETTING ANALYSIS
Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc ripped the heart out of the Sunrisers’ top order in their last encounter, taking three wickets, all of which consisted of batters within SRH’s top five. That left-arm angle in Chennai is a big weapon within the KKR arsenal and it would be no surprise to see Starc in the wickets again here. Invest small stakes in him both to finish as the Knight Riders’ top bowler and to take over 1.5 match wickets.
Domestic leg-break bowler Varun Chakravarthy has been a serial wicket-taker all tournament with 20 to his name as it stands. Only Harshal Patel has taken more and with SRH likely to try and take on his slower bowling, a shrewd play may be to utilise the ‘Bowler Milestones’ market, backing Chakravarthy to gain 2+ wickets.
Although no KKR player has stood out individually batting wise as it’s been very much a team effort on that front, captain Shreyas Iyer’s brutal 58 not out from just 24 balls to lead his side home in the first qualifier cannot be ignored. In the play-offs, form is critical and bettors should take note. Consider backing Shreyas to record over 24.5 match runs in the final.
SUNRISERS HYDERABAD BETTING ANALYSIS
The top scorer across the 2024 IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad has been Travis Head with 567 runs including four half-centuries and a century. However, his numbers against KKR and fellow Australian Mitchell Starc are not good. Head was dismissed for 0 off just two balls by fellow Australian Mitchell Starc in the first qualifier, the fourth time that Starc has taken Head’s wicket for 0 across the cricketing world. The smart play here is backing those struggles to continue and for Head to score under 26.5 match runs.
If anyone is to step up for SRH with the bat, the most likely candidate is Heinrich Klaasen. The boundary-hitting South African superstar boasts 95 runs vs KKR this year and is coming off the back of a half-century against Rajasthan Royals in the second qualifier. Back Klaasen to finish as SRH’s top scorer in this match.
Such a final requires an experienced bowling head to step up and Australia captain Pat Cummins could well be the ideal candidate. Cummins took just one wicket vs Rajasthan but was economical, his four overs going for just 30 runs. But in a game of such high stakes, Cummins could be afforded more joy here in the wicket-taking department and investing in him to take 2+ wickets is a move potentially worth making.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS VS SUNRISERS HYDERABAD EXPERT PREDICTION
These two franchises have already faced off twice in this year’s IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders getting the better of Sunrisers Hyderabad on both occasions. Their brilliant showing in the first qualifier underlined KKR’s strengths, as their bowling attack’s vast international experience coming up clutch. A strong domestic core within the top order has also proven worth its weight in gold and they’ll hope that this formula takes them all the way.
No doubt that Sunrisers Hyderabad can get the better of KKR on this occasion. All it takes is a player like Henrich Klaasen or Travis Head to come off with the bat and they can take the game away from their opponents whether they be setting or chasing a target. But in Mitchell Starc, KKR have an X-Factor to counter that and whilst batters can win games, bowlers win tournaments.
It is that bowling attack of Starc, Narine, Chakravarthy and co that looks like it may be the defining factor in this final and gives Kolkata Knight Riders a precious point of difference over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Expect a final full of drama as we so often see in the IPL, but ultimately for KKR to emerge triumphant and seal a hat-trick of Indian Premier League titles, becoming only the third franchise to achieve such a feat.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS VS SUNRISERS HYDERABAD TIP: KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS TO WIN