Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Source -IPL/BCCI)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are all set to clash for the third time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, but this time in the ultimate final. Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium will host a rematch of Qualifier 1 on Sunday (May 26), with the teams that finished first and second on the points table locking horns.

KKR dominated SRH in Ahmedabad, winning by eight wickets to book a direct berth in the grand finale. Meanwhile, the 2016 champions thrashed Rajasthan Royals by 36 runs in the second qualifier to secure their spot. KKR have a 2-0 lead over SRH this season, but that would not bother them in the kind of form they are in.

Here’s the strongest predicted playing XI of SRH for Final of IPL 2024 against KKR:

Openers: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma

SRH’s main strength so far this season has been their batting unit. Openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma are the leading forces as they make a blistering start in the powerplay. However, it’s worth noting that both have lost a bit of consistency over the past few matches. 

Head, who scored 567 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 192.20, has been dismissed for a duck twice in the last three matches. His bat also failed to make much noise in Qualifier 2. Abhishek, too, has struggled to find runs in the last two matches.

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Middle-order: Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad 

Rahul Tripathi’s inclusion in the lineup is a big boon for the team. Not only with the bat, the right-hander is also a terrific fielder. Although SRH lost to KKR in Qualifier 1, Tripathi’s 55 off 35 balls caught the attention. His 15-ball 37 was crucial in SRH’s win over RR in the second qualifier.

Aidan Markram returned in Qualifier 2 after spending most of the second half of the season on the bench. But the Proteas batter failed to make it count as he was dismissed for just one run. Heinrich Klaasen is the main force in the middle order. Though his sword has lost its sharpness by a bit, he is still a nightmare for the opposition. Notably, the big-hitter smashed a half-century in the last game. Abdul Samad has not made any notable contributions this season and was dismissed for a duck against RR in Qualifier 2.

All-rounders: Nitish Reddy, Shahbaz Ahmed (Impact Sub)

Nitish Reddy is another SRH batter who failed to maintain consistency. The 20-year-old has not been at his best in the last two matches but the team is hoping to get some contributions from him in the final. He can also chip in with some overs in the middle phase, but SRH have not used the right-arm quick much. 

Impact player Shahbaz Ahmed will also join the team as an all-rounder. Shahbaz has made some brief cameos whenever he gets the chance, and his standout performance came in Qualifier 2, in which he won Player of the Match. The left-arm spinner scored 18 runs in the first innings, and steered SRH to victory by taking three wickets for 23 runs later. 

Bowlers: Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan

SRH’s pace attack also looks strong, with most of them being wicket-taking bowlers. Left-arm pacer T Natarajan is currently the fourth-leading wicket-taker in the series with 19 scalps. Skipper Pat Cummins has taken 17 wickets while Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 11.  

Bhuvneshwar’s overs in the powerplay are crucial for SRH to take an early lead in the game. If the veteran pacer can find some swing with the new ball, it can help the team get early wickets and put pressure on the opposition with ease. Jaydev Unadkat is also a handy bowler who can trouble the batters with his left-arm quick deliveries.

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SRH’s Predicted XI against KKR:

Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Reddy, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan

Impact Substitute: Shahbaz Ahmed