The formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad and the soaring Kolkata Knight Riders are set to clash in the first qualifier of the ongoing IPL at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The winners of this match will secure a direct spot in the final, while the defeated team will have another opportunity to vie for the second spot in the grand finale.
In terms of their head-to-head record, KKR and SRH have faced off 26 times, and KKR holding the advantage with 17 wins to SRH’s nine.
Looking at their recent five encounters, KKR have won three games, while SRH have secured two wins. Notably, KKR have triumphed in their last three meetings. SRH’s last victory over Kolkata came in the 2022 season. However, in IPL playoff history, SRH lead 2-1 over KKR.
Their last playoff encounter was in the 2018 Qualifier 2, where SRH won by 14 runs to reach the final, only to be defeated by Chennai Super Kings. This season, they have met once, in a high-scoring affair, that saw KKR win by four runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
This will be the first time that the two teams face off at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the IPL. In Ahmedabad, teams batting second have generally fared better, securing victories in four completed matches out of six. Only twice has the team batting first managed to defend their total successfully. Contrary to the high-scoring nature expected from both these teams, this venue has seen only two scores of 200 or more in 12 innings, suggesting that bowlers will also play a crucial role. With both teams’ strong batting line-ups, a high-scoring contest appears to be on the cards.
Based on their past performances and current form, KKR will go to the game as the favourites. Despite losing Phil Salt, KKR boast a well-rounded squad. However, SRH have consistently challenged KKR in the knockout stages and possess the capabilities to overcome the challenge.