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The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have made their way into the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, where they will meet the Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. It’s already a huge comeback in the tournament after they finished with the wooden spoon in the last season.

SRH finished the league stage of the 17th season of the tournament at the second spot with eight wins in 14 games, at a net run rate (NRR) of +0.414. Earlier, they couldn’t beat the Knight Riders neither during the group stage game at the Eden Gardens, nor during the first qualifier at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The ’Orange Army’ will aim for their second trophy in the league, to end the eight-year-long wait, while the two-time champions Kolkata are looking to get their third title, since winning it last time in 2014.

‘I am going with him…’ – Aakash Chopra backed SRH youngster for the Final

In a recent video, shared on his YouTube channel, former India opener Aakash Chopra feels that the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) won’t go down without giving a fight, and would look to give their all for the victory in the final.

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“It’s going to be a good game. I feel this encounter will be extremely enjoyable. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will not go down without a fight. Don’t be surprised if they lift the trophy. That is also possible,” former India batter Aakash Chopra noted in his YouTube video. “It is the third final for both teams (fourth for KKR). KKR lifted the trophy at this ground itself in 2012 after beating Chennai”.

The biggest positive for the SRH team in this IPL 2024 has been how both their openers- Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have scored runs at the top of the order. The Australia batter has nailed 567 runs at a strike rate of 192.20, while Abhishek has 482 runs at a strike rate of 207.75.

“First player – Abhishek Sharma. I am not going towards Travis Head because there is Mitchell Starc in the opposition – left-arm pacer,” Aakash Chopra elaborated in the same video. “Although he managed Trent Boult, I am not going with him. I am going with Abhishek Sharma, who is batting well.”

The famous commentator pointed out that, unlike the Eliminator game against the Rajasthan Royals, the Knight Riders will have at least one left-hander at the crease for the whole course of the game.

“He became a little too greedy in the last match and got out because of that,” The veteran observed. “However, he bowled and he might be required to bowl in this match as well, although there will be one thing with KKR, there will be one left-hander always on the pitch.”

The job of Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana or Rinku Singh will be so important to maintain the right-left combination at the crease.

Heinrich Klassen’s not bothered that much against spin – Aakash Chopra

Along with Head and Abhishek, another player who has been in fine touch for the SRH franchise is the wicket-keeper batter, Heinrich Klassen, who has been generating his power against the spinners, coming into the middle overs.

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“The second player is Heinrich Klassen. In Qualifier 1 and also the third game of the season, runs came from his bat against this team. He is not bothered that much against spin and he plays differently,” Chopra remarked in the same video. “He played very well in the last match as well. It was a slow fifty as per his standards but it was a massive fifty if you win the match by such a huge margin.”

Klassen has smashed 463 runs in this IPL 2024 for the SRH team, at a strike rate of 176.04, with four fifties. However, the contribution of Rahul Tripathi too will be so essential coming at number three.

The final of the IPL 2024 will take place on May 26, 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai.