Two-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are on the brink of securing a playoff spot for the first time in three years. This crucial moment comes as they prepare to face the Mumbai Indians in their final home game of the season this Saturday at the Eden Gardens. Under the mentorship of their former championship-winning captain, Gautam Gambhir, KKR have seen a significant resurgence, displaying a newfound ability to clinch victories from challenging situations.
Currently leading the pack in the IPL standings with eight victories out of 11 matches, a win in this upcoming match would not only cement their place in the playoffs but also cap off their home campaign on a triumphant note. The influence of Gambhir has been markedly positive, with strategic decisions like promoting Sunil Narine to open the innings alongside Phil Salt, the world's number two T20I batter, proving particularly effective.
This pairing has been pivotal for KKR, contributing to the majority of the team's runs and consistently setting a strong foundation during the powerplays. Their efforts have enabled KKR to post impressive totals, with six scores over 200 in the eight matches they have batted first this season. Narine, with 32 sixes, stands as the second-highest in this metric, trailing only Abhishek Sharma who has 35.
Narine's performance has been nothing short of spectacular, leading the team in runs with one century and three fifties, accumulating a total of 461 runs at a strike rate of 183.66. Salt has also been exceptional, amassing 429 runs at a similar strike rate of 183.33. The formidable form of these top-order batters has somewhat overshadowed the lack of opportunities for designated finishers like Andre Russell and Rinku Singh, while also compensating for the team's less disciplined bowling, notably from Mitchell Starc.
Adding to the team's strength, young Angkrish Raghuvanshi has shown he can a future star batting at No.3, while Ramandeep Singh too has performed well in the closing overs.
In stark contrast, the Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya and five-time IPL champions, have had a disappointing season, becoming the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention. However, following a morale-boosting victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai are aiming to end their season on a positive note.
Mumbai's Suryakumar Yadav has been in exceptional form, which bodes well for Team India with the T20 World Cup approaching. However, concerns linger over the form of key players like Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, with Pandya especially keen to regain his form in preparation for the World Cup, considering his recent struggles with the bat. This match offers a critical opportunity for these players to regain confidence and momentum as the international tournament draws near.
Team News
After emerging victorious in their previous game, the two teams are unlikely to make changes to their lineups.
Head-to-head record
MI hold the wood over KKR historically, winning 23 out of the 33 matches between the two sides. While the Knight Riders have won only 10 encounters, the last time these two sides met earlier this season, Shreyas Iyer's men triumphed by 24 runs.
Weather report
Rain could well play spoilsport in the contest, with thundershowers expected all through the day on Friday as well as Saturday. While the intensity of the scattered thunderstorms should decrease as the evening progresses, there's still a 70% chance of rain during the match.
Probable XIs
KKR Probable XI: Philip Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana
MI Probable XI: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Anshul Kamboj, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Nuwan Thushara
Full squads:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Philip Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anukul Roy, Manish Pandey, Srikar Bharat, Sherfane Rutherford, Chetan Sakariya, Dushmantha Chameera, Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Harshit Rana, Sakib Hussain, Suyash Sharma, Allah Ghazanfar
Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Gerald Coetzee, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Nuwan Thushara, Shams Mulani, Shivalik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Kumar Kartikeya, Luke Wood, Shreyas Gopal, Harvik Desai, Arjun Tendulkar, Anshul Kamboj, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka
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(With PTI inputs)