Probably playing 11 for KXIP vs KKR (12-05-2018) and Match Report

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MATCH REPORT

What to expect: Indore is battling a heat wave at the moment with maximum temperature soaring up to 44 degree Celsius. With this being an evening game and there being no real breeze to lessen the harsh impact of the sun, it will not be a surprise if it turns out to be an average scoring game.

Narine vs KXIP: Narine has bagged 25 wickets in only 14 matches against KXIP in IPL - the most by any bowler against them. He averages 14.20 against KXIP, combined with an ER of 6.45 and SR of 13.20.

Gayle vs KKR: 14 innings, 594 runs, Avg 54.00, SR 153.49, One 100, Four 50s. Gayle has won four MoM awards against them in IPL.

Head to Head of teams

KKR 14 - 8 KXIP. The two teams will play each other for the first time in Indore. KKR have a 7-5 winning record away from home against KXIP.

Preview 

Ten matches each into the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, both Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are at crossroads. An upswing in fortunes will see them seriously challenging a top-two finish, but a downward spiral will leave their season in complete jeopardy. Having started the season on the right note, the two franchises, led by their respective Tamil Nadu captains have their task cut-out as the jostling for a top-four berth reaches its pinnacle.

Kings XI Punjab are set to play back-to-back league matches at their adopted home - Indore, their last two home games before they travel to Mumbai and Chennai in what is a hectic schedule. As such, their penultimate home fixture against KKR holds a huge amount of significance. The two teams are currently sandwiching Mumbai Indians in the third and fifth places, and as such the next two home games in Indore will all but decide KXIP's season.

The heavy reliance on their top-order has been the bane of KXIP. With 471 runs, KL Rahul has been the standout at the top of the order, but the lack of support from the rest of the batsmen has been glaring, particularly in the last game against Rajasthan Royals. Sample this, KL Rahul and Chris Gayle (311 runs), have summed a total of 782 runs - together they add up to 51.5% of the total runs scored by the KXIP batsmen. Batting at the top of the order has its advantages in Twenty20 cricket, but this top-heavy dependency has triggered worried faces in the camp.

While the batting issues remain unresolved, the KXIP bowling unit, has remained top notch. Andrew Tye and Mujeeb ur Rahman give options in the batting powerplay as well as the death overs while skipper R Ashwin and Axar Patel, have wrested control during the middle overs. The team might have suffered three losses in the last four games, but the bowling can hardly be faulted for it.

While the Punjab outfit have grappling issues, the same can be said of their opponents on Saturday. Consistency has been the biggest issue for Dinesh Karthik's men. They started the season with a win, followed it up with two losses on the trot, rebounded with back-to-back wins, only to lose momentum with two further losses. The same pattern followed in the next four games and the team looked shattered during their humbling back-to-back losses to Mumbai Indians, which also left them with an inferior net run-rate.

Probable playing 11 for CSK vs RR (11-05-2018) and match preview

MATCH PREVIEW

As Rajasthan Royals step out with a pink jersey (to promote Cancer awareness) on Friday, they will also be hoping for a change of colours in their fortunes from the previous encounter against Chennai Super Kings. Then, they ran into a rampaging Shane Watson who batted as if he had a point to prove against his former franchise. But times have changed rapidly since that game on April 20.

Since that game, the Royals have chopped and changed their eleven and batting order, seen hot and cold results and now face a must-win situation in every game they play. A confidence-boosting win in their most recent outing against KXIP will hold the Royals in good stead but some concerns linger, particularly with the batting. Jos Buttler's three consecutive fifties while opening has masked the frailties of the others, but time is running out for the others to make a mark and the team to come good collectively.

On the other hand, CSK is close to a top-four finish and have found different ways and different players to win them games through the season. For a team filled with players on the upper side of 30, a break of five days in this hectic tournament will have done more good than harm.

When: May 11, Friday at 20:00 IST

Where: Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur

What to expect: The dry weather in Jaipur has resulted in the pitches cracking up and spinners are expected to come into play a lot more.

Team News

Rajasthan Royals

They'd not want to change too much from the combination that won their previous game. There are a few interchangeable options for a few spots in the eleven that might be given thought based on the nature of the pitch.

Chennai Super Kings

While there aren't any outright concerns about the team, CSK will be wary of their death bowling problem and the right spin options on a pitch that has tended to help the slow bowlers.

Stats and Trivia

Head to Head of teams: RR 6 - 12 CSK

Team Record at that particular venue: RR 2 - 2 CSK

Interesting face-offs

Raina vs RR: Raina has scored the most runs against RR than any other player - 517 runs from 18 innings at 28.72 (SR 137.14, 3 - 50s).

Dhoni vs RR: Amongst the sides against whom he batted at least thrice in IPL, RR is the only team against whom Dhoni averages less than 30 (28.22 in 16 innings with a HS of 41*).

Venue trends

Jaipur has been the toughest venue this IPL when it comes to hitting sixes - a six every 28.79 balls compared to the tournament average of 16.11 after 41 games.

Pacers have enjoyed Jaipur pitch more than the spinners. They have taken 24 wickets at 18.63 and a wicket every 13.42 balls (both the best for pacers at any venue this season) while the ER of 8.33 is the second best for them at any venue.

IPL 2018 trends

RR have taken the fewest wickets in this season - 50. Their spinners have been way more effective than their pacers having taken 17 wickets to 15 and concede at 7.31 per over compared to 9.31 by the pacers.

On the other hand, CSK have been the best batting side of the tournament as they lead the charts for average (36.90 vs tournament average 26.99), scoring rate (9.35 vs 8.61) and have lost the fewest wickets (50).

K Gowtham has been the lead wicket taker among spinners in the first six overs with five scalps. He has been economic at this stage conceding at 6.56.

What they said:

Ish Sodhi: To have (Warne) as part of the mentorship group is good for me. He has been really good in demanding the best out of me. He is always aggressive, encouraging me to spin the ball harder. In Twenty20s, it is easy to have a defensive mindset. Warne attacked and he was good at it and he is instilling that in us which is a good thing. Twenty20 has become a defensive game and it is all about trying to stop runs. The best way to stop runs is by taking wickets. Being aggressive is the best thing and that is what he is drilling into my brain.

Stephan Fleming: He's (Rahane) a very fine player. And he's doing a nice job of captaining Rajasthan. We need to get him out early, he could be a very good influence at the top of the order. He's a lot more attacking than what people think. I regard him as a dangerous player. He's a very nice foil. If there's someone playing aggressive and playing well, he can be the constant through the innings. So removing him means it opens up the opportunity to expose the middle order. If he plays well, it allows the likes of Buttler and Stokes and the hitters in the side a lot more freedom. I think he's an important wicket for us and any time you get a captain early is good.

Probable playing 11 for DD vs SRH (10-05-2018) and match preview

MATCH PREVIEW

As difficult as it must be to read about Delhi Daredevils and their less-than-impressive displays season after season, the same must be said for those who write it. For five straight years, they have not managed to finish above sixth in the final IPL rankings, and in their history they have finished with a wooden spoon thrice.

2018 was supposed to be different, but despite making some impressive buys, Delhi still figure at the bottom of the table, with only six points from a possible 20. Shreyas Iyer's team still has four games left, and will know anything less than four wins will leave their hopes of qualifying for playoffs close to impossible - no team has ever qualified with 12 points, and DD will surely not want to be in a position to find out if they can be the first.

They had players showing that they can help turn around their fortunes - the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Trent Boult and recently, Amit Mishra have been in good form, but Delhi still haven't found the kind of collective performance to kill off games. They will pray their last four games, all at home, allow them just that.

Things could not be more different for Sunrisers Hyderabad. At the opposite end of the table, they are just a win away from qualifying for the playoffs. They are on an undefeated streak that goes back until 22nd April. Their next five games have all resulted in wins - home, away, chasing, defending, comprehensive, nervous and heists - SRH are on a roll. They just need the one to become the first team to get through.

When: May 10, 2018 at 8 pm IST

Where: Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi

What to expect: A warm evening, but importantly no rain around.

Head to head: DD 4 - 7 SRH

At the venue: DD 1 - 2 SRH

Team News:

Delhi Daredevils: Glenn Maxwell's form is a real concern for the hosts, but expect Delhi to give the Australian another go at the top after his unfortunate dismissal in the last game. Naman Ojha too should get another go for DD.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Expect the current league leaders to stick to their winning combination from the last game.

Interesting face-offs:

- Shreyas Iyer vs Rashid Khan: Iyer has hit 48 runs off 29 deliveries fom Rashid without getting dismissed - the most scored off Rashid by a batsman in IPL.

- The SRH bowler who troubled Iyer the most is Sandeep Sharma who dismissed him thrice in 30 balls.

- Rashid Khan in IPL 2018 -
vs RHB: 30 overs, 11 wkts @ 16.72 with a wkt every 16.45 balls (6 x 6s)
vs LHB: 10 overs, two wkts @ 49.50 (9 x 6s)

- Siddarth Kaul has been excellent in the death overs phase having taken six wickets at an ER of 6.60. He has done exceptionally well in the middle phase as well taking five wickets at an ER of 6.00. In comparison, he has taken only two upfront in the Powerplays conceding at 10.25.

Venue trends:

In the three matches this season at the Kotla, pacers have taken 20 wickets at 25.80 with a wicket every 16.85. In comparison, spinners have taken only 30 wickets at a much higher price of 33.20 per scalp with a SR of 22.80.

IPL 2018 trends:

- SRH has the best ER this season (7.24) while DD has the worst (9.21).

- SRH has the lowest scoring rate this season (7.68) while DD have scored at 9.23, which is only behind CSK's 9.35.

What they said:

"Obviously, it has not gone to plan but that is cricket. I just think it does sometimes (work), sometimes it doesn't. I don't think we played that badly, to be honest. A couple of those game only one batsman sort of got away from us" - Colin Munro.

Probable playing 11 for MI vs KKR (09-05-2018) and match preview

KKR vs MI Preview

When: May 9, 2018, 8 pm IST

Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

What to expect: Showers are forecast in the afternoon, but should clear out ahead of the game. The pitch again is expected provide good pace and bounce, something the batsmen will enjoy.

Head to Head: MI have enjoyed an incredible run against KKR, winning 17, while the hosts have managed just five wins. At the Eden Gardens, MI have a better record with six wins over the home team in eight games.

Interesting face-offs:

Rohit vs KKR: 22 inngs; 721 runs; Avg 45.06; SR 136.55; 1 x 100s; 4 x 50s; HS 109*

Rohit at Eden: 11 inngs; 418 runs; Avg 52.25; SR 146.67; 1 x 100s; 3 x 50; HS 109*

Narine vs Rohit in all T20Is: 94 balls; 93 runs; seven dismissals; SR 98.94

Approaching milestones:

Sunil Narine has 46 wickets at the Eden Gardens in IPL games and needs four more wickets to become the second bowler after Lasith Malinga (at Wankhede) to take 50 wickets in a venue.

What they said:

"There's a bit of jinx going on. Our win-loss record isn't great against them. Someone like Mahela and Rohit have done a good job with them. We are going to get one back tomorrow night. We definitely owe them one. The boys are desperate because if we don't win, we are going to put ourselves under a lot of pressure in the last three games" - Chris Lynn on KKR's poor record against MI.

"What's been great about our team is that we stood up. We took responsibility and realised that we are the ones who are going to change our fortunes around. The manner in which we've played our cricket in the last few games has epitomised the brand of cricket we want to play" - JP Duminy on MI's revival after a slow start.

Probable playing 11 for SRH vs RCB (07-05-2018) and preview

MATCH PREVIEW

A Super Over in 2013, a last over ending in 2014, a dramatic rain-curtailed boundary-stepping thriller in 2015 and high-scoring encounters in 2016 and 2017 - Sunrisers Hyderabad versus Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has always been a highly anticipated contest in the Indian Premier League.

The moods in the two camps ahead of Monday's (May 7) clash, though, are quite contrasting. While the hosts are ruling the points table, sitting pretty atop, the other is staring at a potential elimination; bowling is a boon for one, while a bane for the other.

The Sunrisers are on a roll clutching oppositions, having recorded four successive wins, with three being on the back of their bowlers. And that, without their spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Their latest win against Delhi Daredevils was good for two reasons: Alex Hales emulating what a counter-attacking David Warner would do and Yusuf Pathan's blitz in the death when 28 were needed off 12 balls - an area they were lacking in past years. SRH have traditionally been blessed with quality bowlers. They know how to do it day in day out, so there's not much to ponder about. But batting at times, is a concern for them. Two good starts in successive games will put them at ease with an important box ticked, but it is the clicking of the middle order that they need to go their way, and quickly.

They made a conscious effort at the auction to address that same weakness, and picked up solid players for the roles who can win games on their own. Project (Manish) Pandey, that hasn't lived up to its billing, is something they would love to see succeed, while Shakib Al Hasan and Pathan are solid options for them.

In stark contrast, the Royal Challengers are in dire straits. It all starts even before the action begins. Their team selection has raised eyebrows, and questions have always been asked as to why X was preferred over Y. Unable to fathom their decision-making, some have used the term "baffling" in their expressions for them. When cricket starts, batting is their greatest strength, but their reliance on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers to rally the team is evident. When they fail, RCB struggle. Brendon McCullum and Quinton de Kock have been inconsistent and Parthiv Patel straightaway proved why he should have been roped in much earlier. He is someone who mostly gives starts - a proven record in the IPL - if not score a fifty. Mandeep Singh has not converted starts and the rest have always been rotated.

Their bowling doesn't make for a pleasant chatter either. However, you have to give them a bit of a leeway; the Chinnaswamy is a tough workstation for bowlers. The dimensions are small, edges fly, mishits travel, and the Bengaluru altitude doesn't help either. So a bigger-sized ground like the one in Uppal can definitely be a little more morale-boosting as ill-timed shots could land in hands.

Umesh Yadav has been the lone spark, while Yuzvendra Chahal's not-so-great show has dented RCB badly. Kohli and Co. are left scratching their heads as to who to bowl at the death. Teams have been discounting them in this aspect of the game and they need to come up with answers. The sooner, the better.

History has suggested that this clash has generally been exciting. While SRH would quietly hope that their famed bowling line-up is put to a serious test by the star-studded RCB batting line-up to have all sorts of exposure before the play-offs, a loss could bring the curtains down on RCB's chances because 14 points may not be enough to qualify.

What: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 7, 20:00 IST

Where: Rajiv Gandhi International cricket stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad

What to expect: The pitches this year in Hyderabad have been a little sticky, with run-scoring not being that easy. It is likely to remain the same and there is no threat of rain for Monday.

Head to Head of teams:

SRH 5 - 4 RCB (one tie)

Probable playing 11 for KXlP vs RR (06-05-2018)