KKR vs SRH: "My first focus and priority are.." - Harshit Rana fires massive warning to SRH ahead of IPL 2024 final
Updated - 26 May 2024, 01:36 PM
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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pace bowler Harshit Rana stated that he wants to win his first Indian Premier League (IPL) title in the upcoming final match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). Harshit Rana stated that the KKR team will prioritize adopting pitch conditions to gain an advantage in the summit clash.
Harshit Rana has been in impressive form with the ball in the ongoing tournament. The right-arm pacer is the leading wicket-taker for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 season. Harshit has secured 17 wickets in 10 innings at an impressive average of 21.11 but a slightly expensive economy rate of 9.40.
The 22-year-old made headlines for giving Mayank Agarwal a flying kiss after dismissing him in the early stages of this IPL season. This gesture was deemed unnecessary and garnered criticism. The young bowler was banned for one game against the Mumbai Indians (MI) after a repeat of the offense.
The Situations Are Extremely Intense - Harshit Rana
Ahead of their match against SRH, Harshit Rana emphasized the importance of assessing playing conditions. Rana highlighted his priority focus on understanding what tactics will be effective on the specific wicket.
“The situations are extremely intense when we are playing on the ground. The earlier you assess the conditions and the wickets, the more advantageous it is for me. So, my first focus and priority are to find out what will work on this wicket," Rana told Wisden India.
In KKR’s first game against SRH, Harshit Rana successfully defended 13 runs in the final over and helped the team clinch victory by a slim margin of four runs. The pacer conceded a six off the first ball to Heinrich Klaasen. However, he picked Shahbaz Ahmed's wicket on the third ball before dismissing Klaasen.
I Have Been Working Hard On These - Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana stated that he works hard under pressure during training to excel during the match. The KKR bowler said that he feels confident in his abilities during matches by imposing pressure on himself in various situations during practice.
“It is tough but I have been working hard on these. I keep working on these in the practice sessions, and it becomes easier for me to implement them during the game. It is tough but as I have worked hard on it during training, I know exactly what to bowl when – I have put that pressure on myself to excel in various situations," Rana said.
KKR secured their place in the final by defeating SRH in Qualifier 1 in Ahmedabad. They aim to extend their winning streak against SRH this season and claim their third title in IPL history. The final between KKR and SRH will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26.
Kolkata Knight Riders Predicted Playing XII: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Nitish Rana
