By Revsportz Editorial
Given how both these teams have been firmly rooted in mid-table in recent seasons, it can be easy to forget that they contested the 2014 final, with Manish Pandey’s thrilling 94 clinching the title for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after Wriddhiman Saha’s stunning 55-ball 115 not out had set them an imposing target of 200. That was part of a golden period for KKR, who reached the playoffs six times between 2011 and 2018.
Punjab haven’t even made the playoffs since, finishing higher than 6th just once. KKR reached the 2021 final on the back of a 5-2 late-season surge, but their tournament has ended early in three of the last four seasons. Given that background, it’s hardly surprising that both teams have new leadership combinations.
Punjab have Shikhar Dhawan, the only player with seven 450-plus-run seasons, as their new captain and Trevor Bayliss, who masterminded KKR’s title wins in 2012 and 2014, as coach. KKR have Chandrakant Pandit as their coach, and Shreyas Iyer’s back problems – and absence for at least half the season – have compelled them to appoint Nitish Rana as skipper.
West Indies cricket may be in free fall, but KKR can still call on two IPL legends in Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, both of whom have made runs faster than any other batter in the competition’s history. Neither is the force of old with the ball, but Narine on a slow pitch can still be hard to get away.
For now, Kolkata have to do without Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das, on national duty for Bangladesh, while Punjab had to call up Australia’s Matthew Short as a replacement for the still-injured Jonny Bairstow. Both teams have fairly strong Indian cores, though Kolkata will want much more from Varun Chakravarthy and Venkatesh Iyer, who both suffered big dips in 2022 after playing well enough to be picked for India the previous year.
In a World Cup year, India’s selectors will also keep a close eye on the Punjab duo of Arshdeep Singh and Rahul Chahar. Left-arm pacers and leg-spinners are both prized assets in white-ball cricket, and we’ll soon find out if Bayliss can coax more out of them than Anil Kumble did.
Venue and Time
Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, 3.30 PM IST.
Toss and expected conditions
Mohali hasn’t hosted an IPL match since 2019. Since then, there have been two T20Is at the venue, both won by the chasing team. With rain forecast for the afternoon, it remains to be seen if we get a full game. But with the temperature expected to be a cool 22C at 3pm, and plenty of humidity around, the conditions could be to the liking of pace bowlers on both sides.
Head-to-Head
Kolkata have dominated this rivalry, with their 20-10 record against Punjab including an 8-game winning streak between 2014 and 2017.
Possible XIs and Impact Player Watch
Given the Impact Player rule, Punjab may not even play their full complement of four foreign players initially. Two certainties from their first-choice XI are missing, with Liam Livingstone injured and Kagiso Rabada on national duty. Sam Curran is certain to start, but any of Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Matthew Short, Sikander Raza and Nathan Ellis could be used as an impact player with 8 Indians in the XI named after the toss. For Kolkata, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Lockie Ferguson should start, with Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Namibia’s David Wiese under considering for the impact-player role.
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sikander Raza, Shahrukh Khan, Sam Curran, Rishi Dhawan, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh.
Kolkata Knight Riders: N Jagadeesan (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (C), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, David Wiese, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.