Head-Abhishek's Masterclass for SRH: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Road to IPL 2024 Final: Narine Shines for KKR; Head-Abhishek Key for SRH

Sunrisers Hyderabad will face Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 final in Chennai on Sunday. The Indian Premier League 2024 final will see Kolkata Knight Riders play against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. Both teams are former champions, with KKR winning in 2012 and 2014, and SRH in 2016.

Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain Pat Cummins and Kolkata Knight Riders' captain Shreyas Iyer look at the winner's trophy. (AP)

Both teams started their IPL journey by playing against each other in their first match of the tournament. This season featured many record-breaking performances, delighting fans with scores often surpassing 200. Here's how KKR and SRH made it to the final in the 17th edition of IPL.

Consistency Was Key for Kolkata Knight Riders

The two-time champions had a great start to their IPL 2024 campaign, winning three games in a row against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals. Their standout players were Sunil Narine and Phil Salt, who dominated every bowling attack they faced.

Their third win against DC highlighted their true strength. KKR scored 272 runs, with Sunil Narine hitting 85 off 39 balls, marking the second-highest total of the season.

However, KKR won only two of their next five matches. They lost two high-scoring games despite posting big totals, including 223 runs against Rajasthan Royals, who chased it down in a last-ball thriller. 

KKR also lost to Punjab Kings after scoring 261 runs, with Punjab chasing the score with 8 balls and 8 wickets to spare.

KKR bounced back with five consecutive wins in their last six matches, finishing at the top of the table. In the Qualifier against SRH, KKR bowled out SRH for 159 runs and chased the score with 38 balls to spare, making it to their fourth IPL final.

A Season of Record-Breaking Totals for Sunrisers Hyderabad

The 2016 champions set the tone for high scores this season. After losing their first match against KKR, SRH defeated the five-time champions Mumbai Indians, posting a record 277 runs, thanks to Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klassen.

SRH continued their dominance, winning 2 out of their next 3 games. They broke their own record by scoring 287 runs against RCB, with Travis Head and Heinrich Klassen leading the charge.

In their next match against Delhi Capitals, Travis Head (89 off 32) and Shahbaz Ahmed (59 off 29) helped SRH score another massive total of 266 runs.

SRH had a mixed outcome thereafter, winning only two of their next five matches. However, a washout against Gujarat Titans and a win over Punjab Kings ensured a top-4 finish at number 2.

In the playoffs, SRH lost to KKR in the first qualifier but won the second qualifier against Rajasthan Royals. Posting 175 runs, SRH's spinners Abhishek Sharma and Shahbaz Ahmed took five wickets, leading their team to the final.