With Mitchell Starc struggling to make a significant impact for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, the team has relied heavily on their batting, especially the top-order players like Sunil Narine, Phil Salt, Andre Russell, and captain Shreyas Iyer, who have all displayed remarkable strike rates. However, aside from Venkatesh Iyer, the specialist batters have all performed exceptionally well with strike rates above 150.
KKR’s bowling unit, on the other hand, has been inconsistent, with only Narine maintaining an impressive economy rate. Starc, in particular, has been disappointing, conceding runs at an alarming rate without being able to pick up wickets effectively. The uncapped Indian pacers Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora have shown more promise but still need improvement.
In their upcoming match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), KKR will need Starc to rediscover his form and lead the bowling attack, especially against PBKS’s power-hitters. Meanwhile, PBKS, struggling with inconsistent performances from key players like Prabhsimran Singh and Jonny Bairstow, will look to capitalize on KKR’s bowling vulnerabilities.
Both teams have relied on their uncapped players, particularly Ashutosh and Shashank for PBKS, to provide crucial contributions. PBKS will also hope for the return of their regular skipper, Shikhar Dhawan, to boost team morale after a string of losses.
Head to Head:In the head-to-head clash between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings, the Knight Riders have demonstrated dominance, securing victory in 21 out of 32 matches played. Conversely, the Punjab Kings have managed 11 wins. Notably, there have been no instances of no result or abandoned matches.
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Ground Stats:
In the last 10 IPL matches hosted at Eden Gardens, there has been an equal distribution of success between teams batting first and second, with each side clinching victory in five encounters apiece.
The statistical insights further reveal a high-scoring trend at Eden Gardens, with an average first innings score of 194.2 runs. Moreover, the benchmark for a winning first innings total stands notably higher at 210.2 runs, indicating the necessity for batting teams to aim for substantial totals to secure victory in matches played at this venue.
Delving deeper into the nuances of batting performances, the data highlights the significance of strong starts and finishes in the context of T20 cricket. Teams have averaged 56.1 runs in the powerplay overs. Similarly, a commendable average of 61.1 runs in the death overs underscores the significance of finishing innings strongly, crucial for maximizing run-scoring opportunities and setting imposing targets for opponents to chase.
Pitch Report:
In IPL 2024, Eden Gardens has emerged as a haven for batsmen, with teams consistently posting formidable totals of 200 runs or more when batting first.
However, even such imposing scores haven’t guaranteed safety, as multiple teams have come close to successfully chasing down these targets.
The wicket in Kolkata has maintained its reputation for true bounce, favoring stroke play and providing an exciting platform for high-scoring encounters.
Fantasy value from Pitch Report:
1. Eden Gardens in IPL 2024 has favored batsmen greatly. This indicates a high likelihood of batsmen accumulating significant fantasy points through big scores, boundaries, and possibly even centuries or half-centuries.
2. Despite the high scores set by teams batting first, the pitch at Eden Gardens has seen multiple instances of successful chases, suggesting ample opportunities for fantasy players to benefit from batsmen chasing down imposing targets. This indicates the potential for fantasy points not only from batsmen but also from players involved in successful run chases.
Teams:
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Shreyas Iyer (c), KS Bharat, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya , Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Sakib Hussain and Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Punjab Kings (PBKS): Shikhar Dhawan (c), Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa , Shivam Singh, Harshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Shashank Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan, Prince Choudhary, Rilee Rossouw.
Probable XIs:
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Phil Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc/Dushmantha Chameera, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma.
Impact Player: Venkatesh Iyer
Punjab Kings (PBKS): Prabhsimran Singh, Atharva Taide, Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Harshal Patel.
Impact players: Arshdeep Singh
Key Players:
Sunil Narine (KKR) – IPL 2024 Stats: 286 Runs and 9 wickets in 7 Matches
Sunil Narine has emerged as a key player for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2024, showcasing remarkable all-round performance. With 286 runs and 9 wickets in just 7 matches, Narine has been instrumental in KKR’s campaign. His explosive batting, coupled with effective bowling, has been a game-changer for the team. In the upcoming match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Narine’s role as an opener alongside Phil Salt adds another layer of excitement to KKR’s batting lineup. (Here’s a list of updated Orange Cap list)
Andre Russell (KKR) – IPL 2024 Stats: 155 Runs and 9 Wickets in 7 Matches
Andre Russell has been a force to reckon with for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2024, showcasing his mettle with both bat and ball. With 155 runs and 9 wickets to his name in just 7 matches, Russell has been a consistent performer for his team. His explosive batting in the middle order has often rescued KKR from challenging situations, while his ability to pick up crucial wickets has bolstered their bowling attack. (Here’s a list of updated Purple Cap list)
Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) – IPL 2024 Stats: 10 Wickets in 8 Matches
Arshdeep Singh has emerged as a standout performer for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2024, showcasing consistency in picking up wickets. With a tally of 10 wickets in just 8 matches, Singh has proven to be a potent weapon for his team’s bowling arsenal. Despite Punjab’s poor form in this season’s IPL. his ability to deliver crucial breakthroughs at key moments has been instrumental.
Fantasy Team:
Wicketkeeper: Phil Salt
batters: Shashank Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi
All-rounders: Sam Curran, Sunil Narine (captain), Andre Russell (vice-captain), Liam Livingstone
Bowlers: Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh
Tags: IPL Today Match KKR PBKS Dream11 playing prediction headtohead stats Fantasy team key players pitch report ground stats IPL Cricket News
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