Today, KKR and RR are set to face each other in a crucial IPL encounter. KKR aims to hand RR their 7th defeat of the season and strengthen their position in the top four. The playoffs race is becoming more intense with a logjam in the middle of the points table. Therefore, both teams will be eager to secure a win and stay ahead in the race for the playoffs. It promises to be an exciting match at the Eden Gardens.
Kolkata Knight Riders:
When KKR plays against Rajasthan Royals at their home ground, Rinku Singh's performance is expected to be in the spotlight once again. Rinku has fond memories of playing against RR, as his match-winning knock of 42* off 23 last year earned him his first Player-of-the-Match award in IPL and cemented his position as one of KKR's crucial players. Since then, Rinku has been a regular player in the KKR team, having never missed a game. Despite KKR winning three out of their last four games, the upcoming fixture is expected to be a challenging one
Rajasthan Royals:
The task of getting the campaign back on track for RR at the Eden Gardens won't be an easy one, as the home side appears to have found the winning formula after a challenging start. KKR's use of a slightly dry pitch against PBKS allowed their spinners to be more effective without compromising their batting. The upcoming match will be played on the same pitch, where spinners had a more successful outing, taking 8/142 as compared to seamers who took 3/211. This pitch is expected to play to KKR's strengths again. However, RR has the advantage of having two of India's best spinners in their team and a batting line-up that can handle the bounce on offer.
Probable 11:
Kolkata Knight Riders:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz(WK), Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana(C), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Vaibhav Arora/Umesh Yadav, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy. [Impact Player: Suyash Sharma]
Rajasthan Royals:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(WK & C), Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Adam Zampa, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal [Impact Player: Riyan Parag]
Interesting Match Facts :
- Yuzvendra Chahal one away from becoming the leading-wicket taker in IPL history.
- Jason Roy vs Trent Boult in T20s: 25 balls, 34 runs, 2 dismissals
- Four of Andre Russell's eight dismissals this season have come against right arm leg-spin.
Weather and Pitch Report:
What to expect - The upcoming IPL game will be played on pitch #4, the same one used in the previous night's match, making it the fourth game of the season on this surface. The weather conditions, 24 hours before the match, were overcast due to a deep depression forming in the Bay of Bengal caused by Cyclone Mocha. Fortunately, it did not rain and affect the teams' practice sessions. However, the pitch received less water, making it more suitable for slower bowlers this time. The unequal ground dimensions on both sides, measuring 58 meters and 71 meters, are likely to heavily influence the teams' tactical decisions once again. Despite the absence of dew, the last two matches at this venue were won by teams chasing the targets.
Date & Time: 11th May, 2023 at 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network & Jio Cinema
Dream XI Team:
