KKR vs SRH: "Very confident that..." - Matthew Hayden and Kevin Pietersen name IPL 2024 champions

Former international cricketers Matthew Hayden and Kevin Pietersen expressed their opinions regarding the potential winner of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Matthew Hayden and Kevin Pietersen predicted that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) would be the favorites in the title clash.

The Shreyas Iyer-led team secured a convincing victory against SunRisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 in Ahmedabad on May 21. Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc showcased his bowling prowess, taking three wickets. Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer helped KKR chase down a target of 160 runs in just 13.4 overs.

The victory in 'Qualifier' 1 boosted the Knight Riders' confidence for the upcoming final. This marks their fourth appearance in the IPL finals. They clinched victories in their first two final appearances under Gautam Gambhir's leadership. However, they faced disappointment in the final of the 2021 season.

The SunRisers Hyderabad secured a victory against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2 on Friday. The Pat Cummins-led team aims to avenge their defeat against the Knight Riders and claim their second IPL trophy. The final match will be held at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26.

I'm Very Confident That KKR Are Going To Win - Matthew Hayden

Speaking to Star Sports, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden predicted the Kolkata Knight Riders would triumph over SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024 final. Matthew stated that the spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy will play crucial roles for KKR in securing their third title.

"I'm very confident that KKR are going to win here, as having a few days off, having the ability to watch this match, and understanding what the strengths and weaknesses of Sunrisers Hyderabad are will be helpful. KKR, having defeated SRH, is going to have great momentum. I also just feel that the quality spin of Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy on the red clay is going to make a difference," Hayden said on Star Sports Cricket Live.

Kolkata Knight Riders have fond memories of Chepauk, winning their maiden IPL title in 2012 by defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final. Gautam Gambhir, the captain of the victorious 2012 squad, is currently mentoring the Shreyas Iyer-led team.

It's Going To Be Really Hard For The Sunrisers - Kevin Pietersen

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen stated that the Kolkata Knight Riders have the upper hand in winning the IPL title. However, Pietersen also acknowledged SRH's past successes, stating they still have a chance to win the trophy.

"I didn't like the way the Sunrisers threw in the towel the other evening in Ahmedabad, and I think it's going to put them on the back foot for the start on Sunday," Pietersen said.

"The way they just finished that game off, Pat Cummins gave Travis Head the ball, and Shreyas Iyer just went bang, bang, bang. It'll give KKR a lot of confidence going into the finals knowing that they've already beaten SRH a couple of days ago. So it's going to be really hard for the Sunrisers to get up, but I think they will because they won the SA20, so they know how to win," he added.