Hitting sixes holds paramount importance in the IPL. Bar the inaugural season in 2008, in every subsequent edition of the tournament, at least one of the two teams in the final has consistently ranked in the top two for hitting the most number of sixes throughout the tournament. Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad, the top-two after the league phase of the 2024 IPL, feature among the top five teams for most sixes hit this season. Now, the two batting powerhouses are all set to clash in Qualifier 1 in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
While the average first innings total in Ahmedabad hovers around 190, this season has witnessed a slightly lower average of 175. The struggles faced by Gujarat Titans, the city’s home team, were down to their scoring rate.
The venue’s stats prove that it could be a high-scoring affair regardless of whether it’s a red soil surface or a black soil one. KKR and SRH have been the driving force behind the changing concept of what constitutes a chaseable total this season in the IPL. Their charge has been led by the in-form openers, who are on a rampage. KKR will miss Phil Salt, who has returned home. Sunil Narine is likely to open with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who has yet to face a ball this season.
Meanwhile, for SRH, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma will continue to be the team’s X-factors. Head is the third-highest run-scorer this season, with 533 runs from 12 innings. His opening partner, Abhishek, has amassed 467 runs in 13 innings. Both of them have batted at a strike-rate of over 200. No wonder that KKR would like to dismiss the SRH openers early.
Head and Abhishek’s aggressive approach at the outset has propelled SRH to impressive Powerplay scores, averaging 55.6 for the opening wicket at a strike-rate of 210.8. When both are in form, SRH gain a huge advantage, making it arduous for the opposing bowling. Therefore, from KKR’s point of view, early breakthroughs become imperative.
How KKR deal with the SRH openers could set the tone of Qualifier 1. Andre Russell has dismissed Abhishek twice in just 10 balls, conceding a mere 11 runs in the process. It wouldn’t be surprising if the pace-bowling all-rounder is given an early opportunity against the in-form left-hander. To dismiss Head, KKR can turn to Mitchell Starc. Yes, he hasn’t been at his very best, but history proves that Starc is a big-match player. He can take a cue from Arshdeep Singh and the way he dismissed Head in the first ball in SRH’s last game. If the ball swings, the battle between Starc and Head will be the one to watch.
Whether the pitch spins or swings, KKR have the bowling attack for all conditions. But when Head and Abhishek bat, they can take the pitch out of the equation. A rousing partnership between the two can take the game away from KKR.