KKR's playing XI from their first IPL final in 2012 - where are they now?

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. KKR topped the league stage of the tournament, with 20 points from 14 matches. They won nine and lost three games, while two of their matches were abandoned due to rain without a ball being bowled.

By virtue of finishing on top of the points table, Kolkata booked their place in Qualifier 1. They thumped Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoff clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad by eight wickets to book their place in the summit clash. Bowling first, they restricted the strong Hyderabad batting line-up to 159 before romping home in 13.4 overs.

Sunday's match will be the fourth instance of the Knight Riders featuring in the IPL final. Their previous three appearances were in 2012, 2014 and 2021. Kolkata lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2014 but had to be content with the runners-up crown in 2021.

As KKR attempt to clinch the coveted trophy for the third time, we take at their playing XI from their first IPL final in 2012 and tell you where they are now:

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Openers: Manvinder Bisla & Gautam Gambhir

Manvinder Bisla was the Player of the Match in the IPL 2012 final. (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Manvinder Bisla was the unexpected Player of the Match in the IPL 2012 final. Opening the innings, he hammered 89 off 48 against Chennai Super Kings. His knock featured eight fours and five sixes as KKR chased down 191 with five wickets in hand.

A wicketkeeper-batter, Bisla's last IPL match was for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against CSK in 2015. The 39-year-old featured in the US Masters T10 in August last year and was also part of the Legends Cricket Trophy.

Gautam Gambhir, meanwhile, was the captain of the KKR team that lifted the IPL in 2012. He was dismissed for 2 in the final but inspired his side to a famous win. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in December 2018 and announced his entry into politics.

The former India opener was the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 and 2023 IPL editions. He made an emotional return to KKR in the same role ahead of the ongoing season. Gambhir also dabbles in commentary and is an expert on Sportskeeda's special show SK Match Ki Baat.

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Batters: Laxmi Shukla, Manoj Tiwary

Manoj Tiwary in action for Kolkata Knight Riders (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Laxmi Ratan Shukla, a middle-order batter, was dismissed for 3 in the IPL 2012 final.

The player represented Bengal in domestic cricket and played his last match in 2015 after featuring in 137 first-class matches. He dabbled in politics by joining the Trinamool Congress in 2016. He also served as the minister of State Sports and Youth Services before resigning in January 2021.

Manoj Tiwary was unbeaten on 9 off 3 in the IPL 2012 final. The Bengal legend played 12 ODIs and three T20Is for India. A domestic giant, he played 148 first-class games, scoring over 10,000 runs. He ended his career in February 2024 after Bengal's Ranji Trophy clash against Bihar at the Eden Gardens.

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All rounders: Jacques Kallis, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Rajat Bhatia, Iqbal Abdulla

Jacques Kallis scored 69 and picked up a wicket in the IPL 2012 final. (Image Credit: Getty Images)

South African legend Jacques Kallis contributed a vital 69 off 49 for KKR in the IPL 2012 final.

He announced his retirement from international cricket in July 2014. He was appointed head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2015. He has also served as batting consultant for the South African and England national teams. At the age of 47, he slammed 64* off 31 in the US Masters T10 in August 2023.

Yusuf Pathan, meanwhile, was out for 1 in the IPL 2012 final. A hard-hitting batter, who played several match-winning knocks in the T20 league, he last featured in the IPL in 2019, representing Sunrisers Hyderabad. He retired from all forms of cricket in February 2021. Yusuf has entered politics and got a Trinamool Congress ticket for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Shakib Al Hasan picked up 1-25 with his left-arm spin in the 2012 IPL final. He was unbeaten on 11 off 7. The 37-year-old is rated by many as the greatest player Bangladesh have ever produced. He has scored over 14,500 international runs and claimed 700 wickets. Shakib remains a key member of the national outfit.

Rajat Bhatia, meanwhile, got the wicket of Murali Vijay with his medium pace in the IPL 2012 final. Bhatia went on to represent Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants in the IPL. After a stellar career with Delhi in domestic cricket, he joined Rajasthan. Bhatia retired from all forms of cricket in July 2020.

A left-arm spinner and left-handed bat, Iqbal Abdulla didn't have much to do for KKR in the IPL 2012 final, bowling only one over. He last played the IPL in 2017, representing RCB. Part of the Virat Kohli-led India U-19 World Cup squad in 2008, the Mumbai player retired in October 2023 at the age of 33.

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Bowlers: Sunil Narine, Brett Lee

Sunil Narine featured in the 2012 IPL final and will be part of the 2024 final as well for KKR. (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Sunil Narine is the only member of the KKR playing XI from the 2012 IPL final who will be part of the 2024 final (Gambhir will be involved as a mentor). While he was a pure bowler more than a decade ago, he has transformed himself into a genuine all-rounder over the last few editions.

In the ongoing edition, Narine has clobbered 482 runs in 13 innings at an average of 37.08 and a strike rate of 179.85. With his off-spin, the KKR veteran has claimed 16 wickets at an average of 22.

Former KKR and Australia fast bowler, Brett Lee registered figures of 0-42 from four overs in the IPL 2012 final. After retiring from international cricket in 2012, he quit T20s in 2015.

Lee is considered among the greatest fast bowlers of the modern era. Post-retirement, he took to commentary and shares his views on the ongoing IPL as well as an expert.