KKR in must-win territory towards hot-and-cold Punjab Kings
Big Picture – Another loss may very well be curtains for KKR
With 4 video games to go for Kolkata Knight Riders, they’re in must-win territory if they’re to complete on 16 factors – that was the magic quantity final season for a top-four end, so it is seemingly win or bust for Nitish Rana’s aspect.
Punjab Kings have just a little extra respiration room – even with another defeat they will get to 16, however that is about all of the margin for error they’ve. If they do not need to comply with KKR into do-or-die territory, then Kings have to win at Eden Gardens – and in a convincing method too, to spice up their poor internet run price.
That could be very a lot a chance for Kings, although, with away groups having fun with success at Eden Gardens this season. KKR haven’t gained at house of their final three matches and, even when their openers Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz are in average kind, their prime order is a serious weak spot.
Kings’ center order, led by Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma, has the products to trigger excessive injury at Eden Gardens, and pound-for-pound present as a lot risk as Rana, Rinku Singh and Andre Russell. They’ll simply need to be cautious of the hazard Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma pose. If they navigate that efficiently, Kings can be favourites to clinch the encounter, although they’ve blown cold and warm themselves – they haven’t gained two video games in a row since their first two this season.
Team news – Kagiso Rabada or Nathan Ellis?
Ellis is skiddy and has a knack of taking wickets throughout all phases, with three scalps apiece within the powerplay, the center, and the dying this season. His powerplay financial system of 6.8 in six innings is gorgeous, and so he might begin forward of Rabada. But Kings will even take note of that Rabada’s additional tempo and incisive quick balls might bother KKR’s Indian batters and Russell and Sunil Narine. Kings might additionally add a batter-cum-spinner choice by bringing Sikandar Raza in for Matthew Short.
Knight Riders are more likely to follow the identical batting order and spin group. How the Indian seamers line up is anybody’s guess although, with two of Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana and Umesh Yadav anticipated to begin. Johnson Charles, who was roped in as Litton Das’ replacement, has linked up with the KKR group, however it stays unclear whether or not he can be obtainable for choice for Monday’s sport. Neither aspect has damage considerations.
Form information
KKR: WLWLL (final 5 matches, most up-to-date first)
Punjab Kings: LWLWL
Impact Player technique
Kolkata Knight Riders
Even although Suyash has been KKR’s second-best bowler of the event, the aspect has not shied away from bringing left-arm spinner Anukul Roy into the XI forward of him, as an all-round choice within the first innings if there’s been a batting collapse. If KKR chase, Suyash is the favorite for the Impact Player job.
Even although Suyash has been KKR’s second-best bowler of the event, the aspect has not shied away from bringing left-arm spinner Anukul Roy into the XI forward of him, as an all-round choice within the first innings if there’s been a batting collapse. If KKR chase, Suyash is the favorite for the Impact Player job.
Probable XII: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Venkatesh Iyer, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Shardul Thakur, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Vaibhav Arora, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Suyash Sharma/Anukul Roy
Punjab Kings
Prabhsimran Singh is the seemingly Impact Player, most likely changing an abroad tempo bowler after their spell is finished if Kings chase.
Probable XII: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Prabhsimran Singh, 3 Matthew Short/Sikandar Raza, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Sam Curran, 7 M Shahrukh Khan, 8 Rishi Dhawan, 9 Harpreet Brar, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Arshdeep Singh, 12 Nathan Ellis/Kagiso Rabada
The large query
Who must be Punjab’s 4 abroad gamers?
3.0K votes
Livingstone, Curran, Short, Rabada
Livingstone, Curran, Raza, Rabada
Livingstone, Curran, Short, Ellis
Livingstone, Curran, Raza, Ellis
Stats and trivia – Contrasting spin numbers
- The two sides have the 2 lowest averages for opening stands this event. KKR’s first wicket averages 20 whereas Kings’ corresponding quantity is 20.1.
- Russell has simply returned to kind and he can be eager to face Rabada and Curran. He has hit Rabada for 79 in 39 balls with just one dismissal in seven video games. He has additionally smashed 30 runs in 15 balls towards Curran, however has been dismissed twice in 4 innings.
- Do KKR introduce Chakravarthy early? He has dismissed Dhawan 3 times in 5 innings.
- Russell (175) and Livingstone (166) have the 2 highest strike charges in IPL historical past (amongst batters who’ve aggregated at the least 500 runs).
- KKR’s spinners have taken probably the most wickets as a unit (35) after ten video games in IPL 2023 whereas Kings’ have the fewest (12).
Pitch and situations
No whole appears secure on the batting-friendly Kolkata floor. The ball does flip however not menacingly sufficient. Expect one other sport the place 200+ is par (the common first-innings successful whole throughout 4 video games right here at IPL 2023 to date has been 222).
It must be a dry Monday night.
Quotes
“We are taking it one game at a time. We have earlier won games from impossible situations, so this is not impossible either. We are staying confident.”
KKR seamer Vaibhav Arora on the group’s mindset forward Monday’s match
Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx