The Punjab team’s IPL 2024 season has progressed similarly to other seasons as they struggle with inconsistent play and are currently positioned in the bottom half of the standings. Punjab Kings, who have only won two of their last eight games, are in danger of being eliminated, and it is in this situation that they will be playing Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. PBKS has only won two of their eight games, but even in those six losses, they have been competitive all the way to the finish line in most of them.
Punjab, whose middle-order players—Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, in particular—have carried their batting, will be concentrating on the top-order’s lack of form. Given the batting-friendly conditions at the site, PBKS will need their batsmen to fire in harmony to stand a chance against a formidable KKR bowling unit. Over the course of the season, the Kings’ bowling has fared better and performed better relative to their batting. Having said that, there is undoubtedly room for improvement when it comes to the ball.
With three victories in their last four games, Kolkata Knight Riders have been almost perfect at home. Jos Buttler of the Rajasthan Royals delivered a miraculous knock that resulted in their lone loss at Eden Gardens. High scores have been recorded at this location, and Sunil Narine’s KKR hitters have thrived on the surfaces provided. With some very forceful knocks, Phil Salt has also warmed up to his role at the top of the order. With more depth in KKR’s batting now that Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ramandeep Singh have emerged, the threesome of Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell can bat with greater flexibility.
The lack of the typical over-reliance on the spin attack by the bowling department can also be attributed to the types of tracks that are available. However, Narine has returned to his thrifty ways, and Varun Chakravarthy has also had a respectable season thus far. Harshit Rana has been KKR’s star bowler, handling the job with style both with the new ball and in the dying stages of the game. Russell has been vital for Kolkata when it comes to the ball as well; he appears to be lot faster and more fit than in previous years.
Although both teams appear evenly matched on paper, KKR has a slight advantage because of their previous performance. This matchup between two exciting sides looks to be fantastic.
When: April 26, 19:30 IST, Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad
Where: Kolkata’s Eden Gardens
What to anticipate: This season, the average score at the Eden Gardens when batting first has been just under 204. Fluent ball striking has been made possible by the surfaces, and the short side boundaries have helped the hitters even more. Anticipate more of the same, though the city’s ongoing heat wave may cause the tracks to get drier.
group observation
Knight Riders of Kolkata
Injuries/Availability: Mitchell Starc, an Australian bowler, reportedly suffered a finger injury during the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, since he did not bowl at all in the nets. Regarding his availability for this match, nothing is known at this time.
Strategies and Matchups: This season, Andre Russell’s strike rate in the death overs (16–20) is 196.72. Additionally, he has a favorable matchup with Sam Curran and Kagiso Rabada, striking at 222 and 233, respectively. One of the main subplots in this match could be the West Indian’s struggle against the two quicks. Dushmantha Chameera might be able to play in the starting lineup if Starc isn’t ready. The quick bowler from Sri Lanka did spend some time in the nets to prepare for this scenario.
The probable starting eleven are Phil Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Suyash Sharma. [Venkatesh Iyer, Impact Player]
Kings of Punjab
Availability and injuries: Shikhar Dhawan is expected to return to the starting lineup for this match. He has been making progress toward his recovery.
Strategies and Matchups: Despite being dismissed just twice in 91 deliveries by Sunil Narine, Shikhar Dhawan averages 52.5 against the spinner. Sam Curran hits the West Indian for 169 after only one dismissal. For PBKS to counteract Narine’s defensive bowling abilities, the two left-handers will be essential. Harpreet Singh would give way to the captain if Dhawan makes a comeback to the starting XI. Additionally, Jonny Bairstow could return, which would mean Rilee Rossouw would be fired.
The probable starting eleven are: Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Harshal Patel, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma (wk), and Shikhar Dhawan (c). [Player with impact: Arshdeep Singh]
Were you aware?
- Phil Salt has scored 252 runs so far this season, 204 of which have come from Eden Gardens. The Englishman scores 184 goals at home vs 145 on the road.
- This season, Ashutosh Sharma’s strike rate in death overs (16–20) is 198.
What they expressed
“Now we know what to do, we have to win every game.” Sam Curran is aware of how simple yet difficult the task ahead of his team is.
“We need to stick to our routines and processes and see to it that we execute the things we want.” Shreyas Iyer hopes that KKR continues to do well at its core.
