Shreyas Iyer and Pat Cummins engaged in hilarious banter ahead of the highly anticipated IPL 2024 final between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on Sunday. The two captains participated in a photo shoot with the IPL trophy, which included a visit to Marina Beach and an amusing autorickshaw ride that provided plenty of laughs.
During the photoshoot, Shreyas reminisced about his younger days riding in autorickshaws and humorously charged Cummins Rs 20 crore for the ride. This playful jab was a reference to the Rs 20.5 crore price tag Cummins attracted from SRH in the IPL 2024 auction, leaving both players in splits. Shreyas also reminisced about Cummins being part of the KKR team that won the IPL back in 2014.
Kolkata Knight Riders finished at the top of the points table at the end of the league stage and secured their spot in the final by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1. SRH, however, had to recover from their defeat against KKR by securing victories over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Eliminator and Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2, setting up an intense final showdown at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai.
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The final will be a significant challenge for both teams, as they face the pressure of competing for the ultimate prize. Shreyas Iyer has maintained a calm demeanour while leading KKR, making strategic bowling changes and field placements that helped his team dominate the league stage. Gautam Gambhir’s return as a mentor has also boosted the team’s confidence, with the tactical decision to promote Sunil Narine as an opener proving highly effective.
In a light-hearted note to Pat Cummins ahead of the final, Shreyas Iyer wished him luck while asserting that KKR is the best team this season.
We promise Shreyas and Pat didn’t hit “Auto tune” here 😁
RAW and unfiltered – both captains ahead of the #Final 🏆 #TATAIPL | #TheFinalCall | #KKRvSRH | @KKRiders | @SunRisers | @ShreyasIyer15 | @patcummins30 pic.twitter.com/ZI1YhI6UCY
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2024
“Dear Pat! Today, I thought it might be fun to drop you a little note. First off, let me just say you’ve done an amazing job leading the Orange Army this season. This season we have given you a tough time. Let me remind you, you faced the same opponent at a different venue. But today you will be against colors that will be familiar to you—purple and gold. Here’s to a thrilling final. May the best team win, and by best, I mean ours,” Shreyas Iyer humorously said.
On the other hand, Cummins is looking to emulate his compatriot David Warner, who led SRH to the IPL title in 2016. Despite losing to KKR twice this season, Cummins remains confident, stating that SRH has saved their best for the final.
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“Hey Shreyas, thanks for the little note. Kind of you. Indeed, you two have led by example with a lot of swag, but I can’t help but think about our stellar win at this very ground. I hope the KKR boys know what to expect. Come Sunday, you might say you’ve given us a tough time this season, but let me assure you the Orange Army has saved the best for last,” Pat Cummins replied to Shreyas Iyer.
As both captains prepare for the decisive match, the stage is set for an electrifying conclusion to the IPL 2024 season.
