3 things SRH needs to do right to beat KKR in IPL 2024 final

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024 final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26. The summit clash will be a rematch of Qualifier 1 in which KKR hammered SRH by eight wickets in a one-sided contest. After restricting Hyderabad to 159, Kolkata chased down the target in 13.4 overs.

SunRisers Hyderabad put behind the disappointment of Qualifier 1 to get the better of Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs in Qualifier 2 at Chepauk. Batting first, Hyderabad put up a competitive 175-9 before restricting Rajasthan to 139-7.

Looking at the head-to-head numbers between the two sides in the IPL, KKR have a significant 18-9 lead. Kolkata have beaten Hyderabad in both meetings this season. Sunrisers Hyderabad will have to come up with an exceptional effort to getter the better of the Knight Riders in Chennai on Sunday.

As KKR and SRH gear up for the IPL 2024 final at Chepauk, we elaborate on three things SRH need to do right to beat KKR in the mega encounter:

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#1 Head and Abhishek need to get SRH off to a flyer

Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head have been exceptional for SRH at the top of the order. (Image Credit: BCCI/ iplt20.com)

The incredible opening partnership of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma has been one of the main reasons, probably the biggest, why SRH find themselves in the IPL 2024 final.

The no-holds-barred manner in which the two have taken on opposition bowlers has been outstanding, even by the IPL's lofty standards.

Head goes into the final as the fourth-leading run-scorer in IPL 2024. In 14 innings, the left-hander has slammed 567 runs at an average of 43.62 and a strike rate of 192.20. As for Abhishek, he has 482 runs in 15 innings at an average of 34.43 and a strike rate of 207.76.

When the left-handed duo have got going, they have been unstoppable. However, Head and Abhishek have gone off the boil to an extent in recent matches. Head has registered scores of 0, 0 and 34 in his last three innings. Meanwhile, Abhishek has been dismissed for 3 and 12 in his last two innings.

For SunRisers Hyderabad to have a good chance of winning the IPL 2024 final, Head and Abhishek must get the team off to a flying start. If they get going, they will score at a rapid pace. That will put the opposition under pressure and make it extremely difficult to make a comeback.

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#2 SRH batters must neutralize threat of KKR spinners

Heinrich Klaasen could be the key for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the middle overs. (Image Credit: BCCI/ iplt20.com)

The middle-overs contest between SRH's batters and KKR's quality spinners could be another defining battle in the IPL 2024 final. While the pacers have done a good job for Kolkata in the tournament, the slow bowlers have stood out - Varun Chakravarthy in particular.

Chakravarthy is the third-leading wicket-taker in IPL 2024. He has 20 scalps to his name from 13 matches at an average of 19.65 and an economy rate of 8.19. Not only has he been among the wickets, but he has also kept the runs down in several matches. He has carried on his impressive pairing with Sunil Narine, who has 16 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 22.

It will be imperative for SRH's batters to ensure that Chakravarthy and Narine don't dominate proceedings in the IPL 2024 final. The experienced Heinrich Klaasen will have a key role to play, while the likes of Nitish Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed will also be expected to chip in with crucial contributions.

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#3 Hyderabad bowlers cannot allow Kolkata batters to flourish

Sunrisers Hyderabad spinners dominated Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. (Image Credit: BCCI/ iplt20.com)

There's not much to pick when it comes to the dynamic batting ability of KKR and SRH. While KKR are missing the services of the dangerous Phil Salt, they showed in Qualifier 1 that they have the arsenal to make up for the England batter's absence.

Narine has been sensational with the bat, clobbering 482 runs at a strike rate of 179.85. Rahmanullah Gurbaz can also be a match-winner on his day. Venkatesh Iyer and skipper Shreyas Iyer have been in impressive form and can take games away from the opposition if they get in.

Not much needs to be said about the finishing skills of Andre Russell and Rinku Singh. They haven't been need much in IPL 2024 because the top and middle-order of KKR have been so good.

SRH bowlers need to find a way to keep Kolkata's batters quiet. They have the bowlers to do it, but their execution on the high-pressure day would be the key.