IPL 2017 | Preview Match 14: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad will lock horns at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata today to establish themselves at the top of the IPL 2017 points table. While Hyderabad have just suffered a loss to Mumbai Indians, Kolkata secured a stunning victory over Kings XI Punjab.
Inspired by the stunning performances of Sunil Narine and Gautam Gambhir, Kolkata Knight Riders made short work of Kings XI Punjab and will look to continue the momentum they have gained so far, and as Gambhir suggested, KKR will persist with the strategy they have followed so far. Moreover, Umesh Yadav’s return after a healthy break balances Kolkata’s bowling unit considerably. Colin de Grandhomme, despite performing pretty well on his IPL debut, will face stiff competition from Shakib Al Hasan and
The defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad have been in pretty good nick in this year’s campaign so far, apart from the odd loss to Mumbai. Afghan leggie Rashid Khan has already shown what he is capable of, and with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mustafizur Rehman alongside, Hyderabad
The fact that this match will be played in the afternoon means that dew is not going to be as major a factor as it is in evening games, something that was detrimental for SRH in the game against Mumbai at the Wankhede.
Head to Head
From the nine games that have been played between the two teams so far, Kolkata
Last Meeting
The last time both the teams squared off with each other in the 2016 Eliminator, Moises Henriques shone with both bat and ball to guide Hyderabad home.
Predicted XI
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Surya Kumar Yadav, Yusuf Pathan, Colin de Grandhomme, Chris Woakes, Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla/Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Trent Boult
Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, Moises Henriques, Deepak Hooda, Yuvraj Singh, Naman Ojha, Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Mustafizur Rahman
Key players:
Gautam Gambhir: The sublime form that the KKR skipper has been in this edition of the league, 167 runs in 3 matches at an average of 167, the fans will want him to fire on all cylinders yet again. Given Kolkata middle-order has not been tested yet, Gambhir needs to take the onus one more time.
Rashid Khan:
The tournament, so far, has been a dream run for leg-spinners. So, Sunrisers will bank on Rashid Khan to make an impact at the Eden arena. So far, he hasn't disappointed - picking up crucial wickets in each of their 3 matches.
Pre-match chatter:
"I don't consider it a surprise. In T20 cricket you need to be alert in a way that anything is possible. Whether a spinner opens the bowling or a spinner opens the batting. And at the end of the day, most cricketers are pretty adaptable and versatile now. They can play many roles in the side. As a side, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. One of the key tactics is to catch your opponent by surprise, even if you steal an over from the game, whether it be with the bat or the ball, it gives you a big advantage" - Tom Moody, the SRH coach, speaks about Sunil Narine opening the batting for KKR
"He (Umesh Yadav) was always bowling at pace but even that wicket (of Maxwell) he got yesterday, it was well executed as we spoke before the game how to get Maxwell out when he started to open up. The way he got him out caught behind, following him was exactly as was discussed pre-game so that sort of stuff doesn't go unnoticed from the coaching group. That level of experience he has gained playing consistently for India in all formats. He turned the game for us yesterday" - Simon Katich, the KKR assistant coach, on the return of Umesh Yadav
Time: 4 PM
Venue: Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata
TV Listings: Sony Six HD, Sony Six, Set Max, Sony ESPN