Entering the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs as table-toppers, Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will fancy a place in the final with a win over free-scoring Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Qualifier 1 of the cash-rich league on Tuesday. With rain gods having their say in Rajasthan Royals' (RR) final league game against KKR, former champions Sunrisers Hyderabad pipped the 2008 winners to seal the second spot in the final IPL 2024 standings on Sunday.

In the battle of the batting powerhouses, two of the highest-priced players in the IPL will also go against each other for a place in the final. Australia's World Cup-winning teammates Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will battle for IPL supremacy in the first Qualifier of the 2024 season. Previewing the mouthwatering clash between the former champions, former India opener Wasim Jaffer advised Sunrisers Hyderabad to add a fast bowler to their bowling lineup.

'Shahbaz Ahmed and Nitish Reddy proved expensive'

"I feel Sunrisers [Hyderabad] will have to add a fast bowler to their bowling lineup. In their previous, Shahbaz Ahmed and Nitish Reddy proved expensive. Sanvir is not being used a lot as a batter. So, I think they should find a place for [Jaydev] Unadkat. The pitch will be good (to bat), you need bowling options. This is one thing that SRH can do in Qualifier 1," Jaffer told ESPNCricinfo. England's Phil Salt has left a void at the KKR top order for the IPL 2024 playoffs. Salt was KKR's second-highest run-scorer this season.

'Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be slightly rusty'

The Englishman has left the KKR camp due to his international commitments. England will warm up for the T20 World Cup with the Pakistan series. KKR are tipped to replace opener Salt with Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the IPL 2024 playoffs. However, Jaffer has warned KKR about Gurbaz, who might be ‘rusty’ at the playoffs. "Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be slightly rusty. He will miss game time. A couple of innings would’ve been better for Gurbaz before the playoffs. He has not played for a long time and will replace in-form Phil Salt as wicketkeeper-batter and opener. The Knight Riders’ batters have also not played for nearly 10 days," Jaffer added.

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