The Kolkata Knight Riders will clash with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the mega final of the 17th edition of the IPL in Chennai on Sunday in what promises to be a battle between the two batting powerhouses of the tournament. KKR and SRH have revolutionized T20 batting this season and smashed massive totals and all-time high aggregates, blasted sixes and broken all run-rate records in the tournament.

We look at 10 numbers that define the two finalists of IPL 2024.

11.5 & 11 - The highest run-rate in the powerplay

SRH (11.5) and KKR (11) have the highest run-rate in the powerplay in the tournament. Both the teams have redefined batting in the first 6 overs and hammered 70-plus six times each in this phase of play this season – the most for any team in the competition. SRH blasted 125 against the Capitals in Delhi and broke the record for the highest team score in the powerplay not only in the IPL but in all T20 cricket! They breached the 100-barrier in the first 6 overs twice this season – SRH also hammered 107 against Lucknow Super Giants in Hyderabad.

The top 4 team totals in IPL history have all been recorded this season and feature either SRH or KKR. SRH smashed 277/3 against the Mumbai Indians before breaking their own record and blasting a mammoth 287/3 against the Challengers. KKR posted 272/7 against the Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam while SRH again breached 250 hammering 266/7 also against the Capitals in Delhi.

689 – The Abhishek Sharma-Travis Head partnership

Abhishek Sharma-Travis Head have formed the most destructive partnership in the tournament smashing 689 runs in just 14 innings at a staggering strike rate of 227.4. Only Virat Kohli-Faf du Plessis have scored more runs as a pair between them. Sharma-Head have put together a record three century stands this season – no other pair has been involved in even two – at strike rates of 220.4, 287.9 and 344.7! The impetus they have provided SRH at the top of the order annihilating opposition attacks into submission is the main reason for their team’s phenomenal success this season. The pair gunned down LSG’s 165 in under 10 overs in Hyderabad!

209.4 & 207.9 – The batting strike rates of Head & Sharma in the powerplay

Only three batters have a strike rate of in excess of 200 in the powerplay (min. 80 runs scored) this season. Jake Fraser-McGurk tops the list with a strike rate of 250.9 and is followed by Head (209.4) and Abhishek Sharma (207.9).

175 & 42 – The number of sixes hit by SRH & Abhishek Sharma

SRH have blasted a sensational 175 sixes in the tournament – not only the most by any team this season but the maximum in a single edition of the IPL ever! They are followed by RCB (165 – 2024) and CSK (145- 2018).

Abhishek Sharma has been in devastating form this season and smashed a record 42 sixes – the most for any batter in the tournament. He is followed by team-mate Heinrich Klaasen (38) and Virat Kohli (38).

34.5 & 10.7 – The batting average and strike rate of KKR

KKR have the best batting average in the tournament of 34.5 and are followed by CSK (32.8) and RR (32.7). They also have the best run-rate this season and have scored at 10.7 per over.

36 – The most wickets by spinners in the season

Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine have been exceptional for the Knight Riders this season and have combined to take 36 wickets at an average of 24.1 and strike rate of 18.1 – KKR are on top on all three counts. The wicket at Chepauk will assist the slower bowlers and this is where KKR have the edge over SRH in the final.

Interestingly, KKR also have the best bowling average and strike rate for pace in the tournament. Andre Russell, Harshit Rana and Mitchell Starc have all bagged 15 or more wickets in the competition.

20 – Wickets for Varun Chakravarthy – the highest wicket-taker amongst spinners

Varun Chakravarthy has been the unsung hero for KKR this season. He is the joint second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 20 wickets in 13 innings at a strike rate of 14.4 and economy of 8.18. Chakravarthy did not have a great start to the tournament but has seen a dramatic change in fortunes since his three-wicket haul against the Delhi Capitals at the Eden Gardens.

Till then, the leg spinner had bagged just 8 wickets in as many matches at an average of 35.3, strike rate of 21.8 and economy of 9.7. However, post his match-winning effort in Kolkata, Chakravarthy has returned with 12 wickets in just six outings with the ball at an average of 13.1, strike rate of 11 and economy rate of 7.1!

482 & 16 – The run-aggregate and number of wickets taken by the MVP of the season

Sunil Narine has been the highest impact player of the tournament and produced match-winning performances, both with the bat and ball. Narine has smashed 482 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 179.9 while also picking 17 wickets at an economy of 6.9 – which makes him the most restrictive bowler this season after Jasprit Bumrah!

Narine has produced five high impact performances with the bat scoring 40+ at a strike rate ranging between 190 and 222! He formed a formidable partnership with Phil Salt at the top of the order for KKR – the pair added 559 runs in 12 innings with one hundred stand and five fifty partnerships at a strike rate of 207.8.

Narine has also been brilliantly economical with the ball and has conceded at an economy of 6 or lower in six matches and between 6 and 7.5 in four.

10 & 9 – Wickets for Bhuvneshwar & Starc in the powerplay this season

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bagged 10 wickets in the powerplay – the second-most this season after Trent Boult (12). His best performance in this phase of play came against LSG in Hyderabad when he returned with 2-7 in 3 overs. He also picked two wickets in the powerplay against the Royals and Punjab Kings. BK also conceded 7 or less an over in as many as five spells in the powerplay this season. No bowler has picked more wickets than Bhuvi's 71 in the powerplay in the history of the IPL! He will key with the new ball for the Sunrisers.

Mitchell Starc had an erratic season till he raised his game in the Qualifier 1 against SRH returning with three wickets in the powerplay – which more or less sealed the fate of the encounter. There have been only four instances of a bowler picking 3 or more wickets in the powerplay in a knockout/playoff match of the IPL – Starc (2024), Boult (2024), Shane Watson (2008) and Dhawal Kulkarni (2016). Starc is a big-match player who elevates his game in the matches which matter most and will be a big threat with the new ball in the final.

11 – Number of wickets for Natarajan in the death overs

T Natarajan has been outstanding in the death overs (17-20) and has bagged 11 wickets in just 98 deliveries at an economy of 10 in the last four overs this season. Only Harshal Patel with 14 has picked more wickets in the slog overs in the tournament. Natarajan bowled a sensational 19th over against the Capitals - a triple-wicket maiden while also conceding just six runs combined in the 18th and 20th overs against the Royals in the Qualifier 2. The left-armer’s ability to produce yorkers at will makes him a sought-after commodity in the death overs.

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