KKR's quest for 3rd title in a much-deserved season
| Date | May 26, 2024 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Format | T20 |
| Series | Indian Premier League, 2024 |
Betting Odds
Our Predictions
- Shreyas Iyer has odds of 3.85 to be Kolkata Knight Riders' best batsman.
- Travis Head has odds of 3.70 to be Sunrisers Hyderabad's best batsman.
- Andre Russell has odds of 3.20 to be Kolkata Knight Riders' best bowler
- T Natarajan has odds of 2.85 to be Sunrisers Hyderabad's best bowler
MATCH PREVIEW
It is the grand finale in the Indian Premier League 2024. The Kolkata Knight Riders will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad to decide the winners of the 17th season. The Kolkata Knight Riders have dominated this season with only three losses in the league stage. They crushed the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 to book a berth in the next round. The two-time champions will start with higher odds in this game. The Sunrisers fought well against the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to reach the final. The Sunrisers have lost both games against the Knight Riders this season, and it will be a tough battle for them. There will be pressure on both teams, and we expect a close contest.
Kolkata Knight Riders Preview
Shreyas Iyer's side hasn't put a foot wrong this season. Since the start, they have been the most consistent team. They stormed into the final with a dominating 8-wicket victory in Qualifier 1 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad and have improved their position on cricket betting sites. Taking on the same team here will make the side confident. Iyer would guard against complacency in this game and put on a strong show.
Sunil Narine has made nearly 500 runs and has been the backbone of this batting. He will look to deliver a strong start along with Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The middle order has been rock-solid, and the side will expect partnerships with Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer, and Rinku Singh. The lower middle order has power hitters and will need runs from Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, and Anukul Roy.
The side will look for early wickets from Mitchell Starc and Vaibhav Arora, as the Sunrisers' openers have been in good form. Harshit Rana and Sunil Narine have been in good form, and the pair will look to trouble the batters in the middle overs. The team will also expect a good performance from Andre Russell and Varun Chakaravarthy in the supporting roles.
Expected Starting XI for Kolkata Knight Riders
Shreyas Iyer (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy Anukul Roy (Impact Player)
Sunrisers Hyderabad Preview
Pat Cummins' side has blasted its way into the final with a 36-run win in Qualifier 2 against the Rajasthan Royals. It was a clinical performance from the team in a high-pressure contest where they held the driver's seat throughout the game. Their odds are down on cricket betting apps, as they have lost the last three games against KKR. Cummins would expect a strong show from his bowlers as it has been the weak area for the team.
The side expects a strong start from Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, as the pair has made over 1000 runs this season. Heinrich Klaasen played a match-winning knock in the last game and is looking to build partnerships in the middle order with Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram. The side has firepower in the lower middle order and shall expect runs from Nitish Reddy, Abdul Samad, and Shahbaz Ahmed.
Bowlers have been inconsistent this season, a major worry for the team. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pat Cummins must get early breakthroughs as the KKR top order has destroyed bowling attacks. T Natarajan has been the side's best bowler, and he will look to do well in the middle overs with Jaydev Unadkat and Shahbaz Ahmed. Markram and Sharma add variety to the attack and must do well in the supporting role.
Expected Starting XI for Sunrisers Hyderabad
Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Reddy, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan, Shahbaz Ahmed (Impact Player)
TOSS: To Bowl First
It has been one of the slowest wickets this season. We haven't seen the 200+ scores as we have seen in some other venues. Setting up totals on such surfaces is challenging as the side chasing the score can pace the innings. The side winning the toss would look to bowl first and restrict the opponents to a smaller total.
PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
We expect a hot and humid evening in Chennai, and the conditions will test players' stamina. Batsmen must get their eyes set on this wicket to do well. Spinners have done well, as we saw in the last game. The side batting first in this game shall aim to have 180 runs or more on the board to feel confident.
OUR PREDICTION
The Sunrisers Hyderabad have enjoyed a great season with the bat, but their bowlers have been inconsistent, a major weakness for the team. The spin attack is weaker than their opponents, which may be the game's deciding factor. The Kolkata Knight Riders have been in exceptional form this year. They have their batsmen in good form, and the bowlers have also done well. Based on our cricket betting tips, we put the Kolkata Knight Riders ahead in this contest.
Our prediction is for Kolkata Knight Riders to win
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