The Sunrisers’s tournament finished with a mighty hit from MS Dhoni after they registered their ninth defeat of the season against CSK. The Riders, in turn, find themselves in a precarious position having lost two games, but they are still in contention. On October 3, the two sides will lock horns in Dubai.
The Knight Riders have won 13 out of the 20 games both sides played against each other, and in their last five encounters, four of them have gone in the way of Kolkata.
This is perhaps one of the worst times for the Sunrisers, with their season already falling apart. Their management and players have been under severe scrutiny for putting on an incredibly underwhelming performance, and the drama surrounding David Warner has not helped anyone involved with the team.
But a fact that they have nothing to lose now can turn them into party spoilers, and the IPL has had a fair share of such stories. A defeat for Kolkata could potentially end their chances of reaching the final four, and recent form suggests that is a definite possibility.
Key Players
Despite being under immense scrutiny, Sunil Narine has found some form with the bat and ball in the UAE. The West Indies international picked up some crucial wickets besides delivering very economic overs for his side, and also turned up with a quickfire cameo against the Delhi Capitals. He seems to have rediscovered his form, and his contributions over the years, whenever they come, have been pivotal for his team.
Ever since KKR decided to move Venkatesh Iyer into the playing system, they seemed to have found a new shape and morale. He has consistently provided runs at quick pace at the top, providing a proper base for their middle order to go all-out against. Iyer has scored 193 runs at a strike-rate in excess of 140.
Kolkata’s highest run-scorer this edition, Rahul Tripathi’s consistent and stellar contribution has been a key feature behind the side’s current position.
He has scored 349 runs in 11 knocks at an average tad shy of 35. He has been in sensational touch, not just statistically, but has looked incredibly confident with his striking and is fancying batting in these conditions.
One of the best T20 cricketers in the globe, Rashid Khan is just an inevitable presence on the field for any opposition. Despite of the Sunrisers experiencing their worst time in IPL, he has been among the wickets for them, picking 14 of them for the side.
He can be a threat for the Knight Riders and perhaps it is his presence among a few others, that will keep Morgan’s men attentive.
While they keep one of their key players in David Warner on the bench, it is imperative for the Sunrisers that Jason Roy provides that sense of optimism with his exploits.
The Englishman scored a fifty on his Sunrisers debut. Considering plenty of instances from the past where he was at the top of his game, he will always remain a point of threat.
Prediction
The Sunrisers have failed to conjure up consistent patterns of play. They seem to be unaware of their strengths, with new weaknesses flashing up every game. Their trusted sources of runs in Kane Williamson and big money Indian signings Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav have disappointed, resulting in the latter two getting dropped.
The Kolkata Knight Riders will likely try to go all-out at their top order, because that remains the only source to scoring big for Sunrisers. If they can manage to do that, the Knight Riders will surely have the upper hand in the game.
The Riders have their own problem, which is a mirror image of the Sunrisers’ problem in many ways. Their captain has not contributed with the bat, and the bulk of their runs come from the top three. SRH have been found guilty of overdependence on their top three, and it seems like Kolkata will have far less success in it if they go along this way.
They are likely to register a big win in this game, going sheerly by how badly the Orange Army are hurt right now, and two crucial points are up for offer to those wearing purple.
