‘KKR vs SRH Qualifier 1 match can be decided the openers and powerplay,’ feels Ambati Rayudu | Ipl News

The IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad could be decided the might of the openers and the Powerplay batting at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, feels former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu.
With the scoring rates surging to a record high this season, KKR and SRH have stood at the forefront of the batting revolution led their deadly opening pairs during the league-stage. While Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma bludgeoned the opposition bowlers up top for Hyderabad, Sunil Narine and Phil Salt formed a successful attacking pair for Kolkata.
KKR, who finished at the top of the points table for the first time in an IPL season, will miss the services of Salt for the playoffs after the England star flew back to fulfill national commitments ahead of the T20 World Cup.
“I think it’s the openers in the powerplay that comes to my mind for both teams. The match can be decided in the powerplay. Whoever plays that initial part well will have an advantage and also going into the playoffs, it’s like a different tournament.
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“It’s not the same, because the league phase is different. But from now on teams will treat each match as a final, and KKR will be no different,” remarked Rayudu, a record six-time IPL winner.
Head and Abhishek lead the batting charts as the most successful pair of the season with 676 runs at a staggering run rate of 13.74 across three 100-plus stands and two half-century partnerships. The duo also notched up two 100-plus partnerships within the PowerPlay – a record in the IPL.
Meanwhile, Narine and Salt are third on the l with 559 runs at a 12.46 run rate.
KKR untested
Having last played a full game on May 11 against the Mumbai Indians, KKR have not found themselves game time to test a new opener in Salt’s absence. The team’s subsequent matches against Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals were abandoned due to heavy rain.
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SRH’s Powerplay domination
Fuelled the charge from Abhishek and Head, the Sunrisers have dominated the powerplay batting this season with 920 runs in 13 innings, with a strike rate of 185.93. The Sunrisers have also played out the least dot balls in the phase (165). KKR are fourth with 788 runs at a 168.99 strike rate.
The Sunrisers have smashed 55 sixes in the first six overs with Abhishek topping the charts with 28 maximums – a record among all batters in the PowerPlay in IPL hory. The young southpaw also became the first Indian batter to amass 40 sixes in a season during Sunday’s outing against Punjab Kings in Hyderabad.
Rayudu also reasoned that Pat Cummins’ successful ODI World Cup visit to Ahmedabad with a victorious final against hosts India will hold his team in good stead on Tuesday. “For SRH, with Pat Cummins, they know Ahmedabad well, he’s had great memories over there. So it will be an epic encounter,” said Rayudu.
While Sunrisers had endured a seven-wicket loss in their previous fixture against the Gujarat Titans at the venue earlier this season, Kolkata’s clash against GT ended with a washout. Interestingly, Sunrisers have never lost to Kolkata in the IPL Playoffs, winning all three of their previous meetings.
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