It’s somewhat satisfying, I find, when the best two teams make it through to the final, despite the weird and wonderful play-off structures you see knocking about in different sports.
And that’s exactly what we have this weekend to bring the curtain down on the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League.
Kolkata finished top of the group stage and Hyderabad second. KKR are two-time champions and SRH once. The latter claimed the most recent of those successes in 2016.
Ironically, this competition’s opening weekend saw the same fixture as it will end. Kolkata beat Sunrisers in game number two, by four runs defending a 209 total.
The Knight Riders also won Monday’s Qualifier 1 clash by eight wickets chasing 160. That was a much more sedate affair.
I said the other day when previewing this fixture in that Qualifier tie that it was the toss of a coin - I couldn’t split them. Many bookmakers had them at 10/11 apiece for the win.
But this time it’s slightly different. Sunrisers Hyderabad are 11/10 to claim the title with William Hill, and that’s a price I would be taking.
I quite like their balance as a side. They are pretty much at full strength, whereas Kolkata have lost key opener Phil Salt recently. Yes, KKR won the game the other day. But since then, they have been inactive. Hyderabad, meanwhile, won a game yesterday against Rajasthan and built confidence. That could be key.
Runs can come - but don’t be too adventurous
After all the 200 plus totals we have seen this campaign, all the 250 plus totals in fact, we haven’t seen one in three games across the finals series so far. Perhaps that’s pressure.
But these two sides have been amongst the top scorers in 2024, and I do think they’ll serve up an entertaining final in that respect. Though, Chennai isn’t a notoriously high-scoring ground, and I won’t be going too adventurous.
I’d be taking the 5/6 Ladbrokes are offering on both teams to score 180 plus totals - I think that’s realistic.
Betfair also have Sunrisers to win and both teams to score 180, available at 15/8.
Varun Cheque-ravarthy
Ok, ok, bookies won’t pay out via cheques, but you get the drift. Kolkata spinner Varun Chakravarthy has brought us home more than the odd winner so far this IPL.
Again with Ladbrokes, they are offering 15/8 on him to take two plus wickets in the match, a price with definite appeal.
He has taken 20 wickets so far, including 12 wickets in his last five matches. That has been made up of two three-wicket hauls and three two-wicket hauls.
That price is available via a price boost with Ladbrokes, who have another of interest - KKR quick Mitchell Starc to take two wickets at 2/1.
The Australian left-armer loves performing in big white ball matches, the 2015 World Cup final for one. He hasn’t had an amazing tournament, but he sprung to life against Sunrisers the other day with three wickets.
I’m going to finish with suggesting Hyderabad’s Abhishek Sharma to be player of the match at 9/1 with bet365.
Sharma has opened the batting with 482 runs, and he took his first two wickets of the competition against Rajasthan yesterday with his part-time left-arm spin. You’d think he would be utilised again in the final as a result of that, opening up the chance of some individual silverware alongside a winner’s medal.
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