Qualifier 2, KKR vs SRH: 4 Unnoticed things from the game 

Sunrisers Hyderabad cruised to a 13-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, to rightfully enter the IPL 2018 Final versus Chennai Super Kings.

Both the teams playing tonight merited the chance of participating in the IPL 2018 Final in contrasting ways. Sunrisers Hyderabad, by virtue of claiming the top spot in the points table, had another bite of the cherry while Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator to move one step closer to the IPL Final.

Tonight, at the iconic Eden Gardens, home Captain Dinesh Karthik guessed the correct landing side of the coin and elected to field first. SRH enjoyed a wicketless powerplay but lost quick wickets after that. Shakib’s resilience and Rashid’s hurricane 34*(10) took Hyderabad to 174/7.

The Kolkatan chase began on the right note as Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn commenced firing from both the ends. The onslaught mellowed away with the arrival of Rashid Khan into the bowling attack. By the end, the task became impossible for the young Shubman Gill and the tail-ender Piyush Chawla.

Kolkata lost the match by 13 runs and the win has propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2018 Final. They will once again confront Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on 27th May.

Here are four things that may have gone unnoticed from this Qualifier:

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#1 Contrasting team streaks

Sunrisers Hyderabad ended the league stage at number one. They had nine wins from their Fourteen matches and with 18 points comfortably ruled the first stage.

However, it is important to note that at one stage, Sunrisers Hyderabad had won nine matches from their 11 matches. They subsequently lost three consecutive matches against CSK, RCB, and KKR and remained at nine wins. SRH lost their first Qualifier against CSK and endured a four-match losing streak.

In complete contrast to the Orange army, Kolkata Knight Riders established an imposing four-match winning ride. After succumbing to a crushing defeat of 102-runs against Mumbai, Kolkata bounced back and won against Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad and twice versus Rajasthan Royals.

Hyderabad’s victory tonight ends the streaks of both the teams and sends SRH in the final against Chennai which has dominated them in previous three encounters.

#2 Prasidh Krishna’s death overs failure

22-year old wiry fast bowler from Karnataka, Prasidh Krishna impressed one and all in his IPL debut. He was selected in the team since Mavi suffered an injury but Krishna made sure that he owned the spot.

In the six IPL matches that Krishna played in, he inevitably ended up bowling in the death overs. All the ten wickets that the fast bowler picked up were taken in the overs 16-20.

Tonight was the critical stage where KKR needed Krishna to deliver his best. Sadly, the youngster was taken apart by Rashid Khan’s whirlwind batting and smothered for 56 runs from his four overs.

#3 Lack of spin against Chris Lynn

The greatest dilemma for the teams facing Kolkata Knight Riders is how to bowl against them at the start. In Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine, KKR possesses the most volatile opening combination in the IPL.

While Sunil Narine comfortably launches spin bowlers in the stands, Chris Lynn is capable of giving the same treatment to the pace bowlers. Opposition captain has to always walk on the thin rope.

Tonight, Kane Williamson did not factor that in and fed Lynn with speed on the ball. By the time, Rashid Khan stepped in to bowl the seventh over, Lynn had already scored 25 from 14 balls and was well established by then.

#4 Shakib Al Hasan’s economical spell

Although Mumbai Indians won the IPL in 2017, it was Sunrisers Hyderabad who was given the tag of ‘Defending Champions’. The name assigned because of their capability to seemingly defend any total that their batting put up.

In this match also, team SRH defended the total of 174 which was rated below-par by the experts at mid-innings. Of course the best bowler on the show tonight was Rashid Khan, who bamboozled the batsman and recorded the figures of 3/19.

However, let’s not forget the man who lent Rashid solid support from the other end. The Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan bowled a miserly spell of 1/16 from his three overs. He dismissed KKR’s captain Dinesh Karthik and bought SRH back into the game.

What are your views on our observations? Let us know in the comments below.