Last week the points table was suggesting something and today it is suggesting something else. We are into the 30th day of the Indian Premier League and which teams will qualify for the playoffs is still unknown.
Today’s first match is between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Last time these two teams met at the Eden Gardens and KKR chased down a total of 181 runs with two balls to spare. That was the first match for both the teams and it marked the arrival of Andre Rusell in this year’s IPL. Rusell took the game home by smashing 49 runs in 19 balls. Both the teams are meeting after 28 days and both of them have won the same number of matches (4) till now. KKR has played 9 matches and SRH has played 8 only.
KKR have lost last 4 games and they need to win at least 3 out of the remaining 5 games to qualify for the playoffs. Apart from the match against Chennai Super Kings, KKR has scored 160+ in every match and then too they lost them. This points out at the weak and vulnerable bowling attack of KKR. Not once this year they have taken all the wickets of the opposite team. They have taken 34 wickets in 9 matches that they have played till now. Their spinners have struggled on their home as well as away games. The trio of Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla, and Kuldeep Yadav have taken a total of 16 wickets till now.
KKR’s batting looks good because of the likes of Lynn, Rusell, Gill, and Rana.
SRH’s main concern right from the start of this season has been their middle order. The runs have been scored by the openers and if they have failed then the whole team has crashed. Jonny Bairstow is set to leave IPL after 23rd April while David Warner will leave for Australian world cup preparation after 1st May. If before this SRH can find a solution to their batting issues then their hopes for qualifying would be alive.
Being a 4 pm match, team winning the toss should bowl first. KKR can make few changes in the team while SRH will play with the same team.
