IPL Final, KKR vs SRH: Sunil Narine vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar and other player battles that can decide the match

We are all set for the last and the biggest game of IPL 2024, the final which will see Kolkata Knight Riders (SRH) take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday (26 May). The IPL final is a battle between the two of the best teams of the season as both KKR and SRH finished the league phase in the top two spots.

IPL final, KKR vs SRH:  Schedule, time, venue, live telecast and streaming details

Now as they get ready to add another IPL title to their cabinet, we take a look at five key player battles that can decide the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

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Head vs Starc

SRH opener Travis Head is a beast in the powerplay, having scored 402 out of his 567 runs in the first six overs at a mind-boggling strike rate of 209.37 – which by the way the third-best for a batter in powerplay this season. But Head got out to Starc on a duck in Qualifier 1. He was clean bowled a game after Punjab Kings’ Arshdeep Singh cleaned up the Aussie. Both pacers are left-armers and Starc will be back in the final. Head will have to be wary of Starc’s threat and if he can successfully handle it then Hyderabad can hope for a mega total.

IPL Final: What are Sunrisers' biggest strengths and weaknesses?

Narine vs Bhuvneshwar

Sunil Narine has scored 482 runs this season for KKR and boasts a strike rate of 168.71 in the powerplay but the all-rounder has a problem against Hyderabad pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Indian veteran has removed the KKR batter twice in 10 IPL meetings. More importantly, Narine only has a strike rate of 110.71 against Bhuvi.

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Klaasen vs Chakaravarthy

Heinrich Klaasen with 463 runs at a strike rate of 176.04 has been SRH’s most vital batter in middle overs. The South African in fact has a strike rate of 189.47 against spinners this season with only six dismissals and this form has allowed SRH to do well in the middle overs but in the final, he will be up against Varun Chakravarthy. The KKR spinner has taken 20 wickets so far and dismissed Klaasen in Qualifier 1.

Natarajan vs Russell

SRH have been very poor in death overs, giving away runs at a run rate of 11.98 in the last four overs this season but T Natarajan has done well for himself picking up 19 wickets overall. And the Tamil Nadu pacer will once again be required to control the proceedings in the final overs against KKR who have the destructive Andre Russell in their ranks. Russell has a strike rate of 185 in IPL 2024.

IPL Final 2024: What are KKR' biggest strengths and weaknesses?

Cummins vs Gambhir

The IPL final will also be a battle of strategies and temperament. Both Gautam Gambhir and Cummins have respectively done very well with KKR and SRH, helping the teams reach the final. And now it’s time for that one final game where the two of the best tacticians of IPL 2024 will try to outsmart each other once again.