Overview:
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will battle it out in match #56 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in a bid to move up to the number three spot. Both teams are currently tied with ten points from 11 matches, but Rajasthan Royals have a better net run rate (+0.388 vs -0.079).
Although the Knight Riders have been winning their matches in the last over, they are not too concerned about their run rate. In their last game, a batting heist from Andre Russell and Rinku Singh led them to a five-wicket victory over the Delhi Capitals. The Knight Riders have won three of their last four matches, and with two of their last three matches to be played at their home ground, they are hoping to use their home advantage to secure a spot in the playoffs.
However, breaching the Royals’ bowling attack could be a challenge as they have conceded a league-low 6.27 sixes per game this season. Although the Royals have conceded at least ten sixes in two of their last three matches, they will be hoping to get back on track with the results. They have lost five out of their last six matches, almost nullifying the benefits of a bright start that saw them win four out of their first five games.
The Royals’ morale has taken a hit after failing to defend 41 runs off the last two overs in their last match, falling just two runs short of the T20 record of 43. Bowling remains a concern for the team, as they have failed to defend scores of 212 and 214 in two of their last three matches, exposing their weak point. Captain Sanju Samson will be hoping that his bowlers can deliver a better performance in this crucial match.
Venue and time
Eden Gardens, Kolkata. 7:30 PM IST
Head-to-Head
The Knight Riders have won six out of the previous nine completed head-to-head matches at their home ground, and their big-hitting style has delighted the crowds. A total of 27 matches have been played between Kolkata and Rajasthan with Rajasthan winning 12 times while Kolkata have won 14 eight times and the remaining one time ended in no-result.
Expected conditions and toss
A hot and humid evening await both KKR and RR in Kolkata. With humidity level expected to be on the higher side, the dew factor could come into the play. The team winning the toss should be expected to chase the total.
Likely Playing XIs and Impact Player
KKR could use Suyash Sharma as their Impact Player. It has become a common move for the Kolkata outfit in IPL 2023. Whereas Rajasthan Royals could use either Riyan Parag or Dhruv Jurel as the Impact Player
Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana(c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy
Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Jason Holder, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal