🏏IPL 2024: Qualifier One - SRH vs KKR at Ahmedabad @ 7:30PM IST🏏 - Page 6

Originally posted by: Rosyme

I feel KKR bowlers are better than SRH s.

If it's a game where spin rules, then yeah. But if it's a battle of the pacemen,

Cummins ~= Starc

Bhuvi >> Harshit Rana

Natarajan >> Vaibhav Arora

Jansen >> Dre Rus

Thanks for the tag!

SRH 🧡🧡🧡🧡

Want SRH to win

But I know KKR is far better team than them in every department

Be it batting, bowling, Deep batting, all rounders, fielding

So they will definitely win

So no expectations!

It's rather appropriate that we're coming into the knockouts of IPL 2024 - a tournament that's made a mark for big runs - with the two highest-scoring teams in Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad and on the back of three (completed games) where the team batting first has made over 200. And yet, you might be thinking the batters haven't pushed the extremes as much as the pitches have worn. That might change again in Ahmedabad where a hot day has made way to a bright evening and, hopefully, a 500+ run game. Reminder, the winning team today will go straight to the final and the losing team will play the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 for another shot at making the final.

17:50 local, 12:20 GMT: Hello, there? We have officially entered the playoff zone in the IPL. This territory is quite slippery, mind, and teams that blink will have to pay a heavy price. It's that phase of the tournament where players' mental strength and management's composure gain greater attention than ever. Righto! Time to switch on the crunch-gear, then *Drum roll*

Standing in their way are the men from the city of joy, the Kolkata Knight Riders. A team that has a rich history of making 6 playoffs from 8 seasons (2011-2018). Quite interestingly, KKR never finished at the bottom of the table and to put the icing on the cake, this is the first team they finished number one on the table in their history. And a reminder that, this is only their second entry into playoffs in the last 6 seasons. The last time they made it to the playoffs, they reached the IPL final only to end runners up to CSK. Can they go one step better this time around and bring home their 3rd title? It's been 10 years since they won the trophy. And the "KORBO LORBO JEETBO" fans have an extra reason to cheer this season. Gautam Gambhir, the mentor of KKR. His association with the franchise holds a special slot for every Purple fan. Is this the season for KKR?

Hurt, bruised and hungry - The mood of all SRH fans over the last three years. While the fact that their franchise didn't make it to the playoffs stung real hard, it's the 'wooden-spoon' tag (2021 & 2023) that left the biggest scar. How could a franchise that once had a history of "five successive playoff seasons" sink that low? David Warner controversy. Change of captaincy. Change of coaches. Change of jersey. Team going from bad to worse with each passing season. It surely wasn't a pleasant phase for any Sunrisers' fan. And here comes the best part. Despite all those lows, the fans turned in great numbers this season in Hyderabad and rallied behind the team like those 3 years never existed. One of the promising superstars of Indian cricket, Abhishek Sharma, was so moved (acknowledged it on SM) by the support he received from the SRH fans, that he along with many other players made sure they offered something in return for the fans by winning 5 out of 7(one game was a washout) home games this year. Now that they made it to the playoffs, how about winning the qualifier 1 and claim the "finals slot" for the third time in their 12-year history?

https://x.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1792885551194144906

This could be one of the best clashes of the top order. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who is one of a kind have been sensational at one end. For KKR, Sunil Narine is likely to continue playing every ball like it's a free hit.

What happened the last time these two sides met?

Mayank Agarwal received a flying kiss from Harshit Rana. That's how most SRH fans would like to remember, as the contest saw both teams pushed into a nervy corner for most parts of the game. In the end, when SRH had a mountain to climb in the last 4 overs, Klaasen went berserk and nearly pulled off the chase for his side. Inexperienced and under pressure, Harshit Rana didn't panic as he bowled a splendid final over to help his side get off to a winning start to the season. It was that victory that started KKR's rise and they barely looked back after that, with 9 wins from 14 games (2 were washed out).

😂😂