IPL 2024, KKR vs SRH: Decoding the key player battles
Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad will kick-start their respective 2024 Indian Premier League campaigns against each other in Match 3 in Kolkata. While KKR blew hot and cold last season, SRH had a forgettable year as they finished at the last position. Notably, the Orange Army will be led by World Cup-winning skipper Pat Cummins this season. Let's decode the key player battles.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has enjoyed bowling against KKR and he will be aiming to give his side a solid start in the powerplay overs. The pacer, who will look to swing the new ball, can be a cause of concern for KKR opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The two players have crossed swords twice in T20 cricket and on both occasions, Bhuvneshwar dismissed Gurbaz for a duck.
Sunil Narine vs Aiden Markram
Though Sunil Narine looked out of touch last season, he is KKR's highest wicket-taker in IPL history with 163 scalps. He might be up against the dashing Aiden Markram, who is an able player of spin, in the middle overs. Though Narine has dismissed Markram just once across five T20 meetings, he has conceded just 36 runs off as many deliveries in this battle.
Umran Malik vs Andre Russell
Umran Malik can be handy for SRH with his sheer pace though he could not impress much last season. Andre Russell, who boasts a jaw-dropping IPL strike rate of 174, might face the young Indian fast bowler in the death overs. As per ESPNcricinfo, Russell has managed just nine runs off Malik's 11 deliveries with a strike rate of 81.81.
Shreyas Iyer vs Wanindu Hasaranga
Captain Shreyas Iyer, who missed the last season due to his back issues, will aim to power KKR to glory. Iyer has the propensity to smash huge sixes against spinners in the middle overs. His battle with leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga can certainly grab the eyeballs. While Hasaranga has dismissed Iyer once, the latter has smashed his for 22 runs off 13 balls (T20s).
Pitch report and match details
The iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host this duel on Saturday (March 23). The strip at this venue is good for batting and one can expect a high-scoring fixture. Spinners will get some assistance as the game goes on. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on JioCinema (7:30pm IST).
