In the 22nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be locking horns with Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. This season hasn’t gone as per the plans for KXIP under KL Rahul as in the last game CSK the bowlers got a rude awakening.
While the trio of Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, and Mayank Agarwal have delivered consistently with the bat, the bowlers haven’t been able to come up with the goods. KXIP are currently dwelling at the bottom of the table with just one win in five games and would desperately want to turn things around on Thursday.
On the other hand, SRH has done relatively better with two wins in five games. However, they will be missing the services of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mitchell Marsh to injuries, which now leaves David Warner and the team management with a lot of selection questions. While SRH’s middle order has done a decent job well in recent games, Bhuvneshwar’s absence is one that SRH will be most worried about with Siddharth Kaul looking out of his depth against MI.
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With both teams looking for a morale-boosting win on Thursday, we should be in for an entertaining game at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
As the two sides prepare for a thrilling encounter, here’s a look at three key player battles to keep an eye on.
#1. KL Rahul vs T Natarajan
One of the best limited-overs batsmen, KL Rahul will be facing T Natarajan and it promises a lot on paper. The KXIP skipper was the highest run-scorer for the team in the last game against KXIP, so he would be keen to continue the momentum. Rahul has an excellent IPL record and on the other hand, Natarajan has always been a wicket-taker for SRH and he will be under pressure to prove his worth.
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Natarajan will be playing the role of a wicket-taker. He is the highest wicket-taker for SRH in the ongoing season as he has sclaped 5 wickets in 4 games at a strike rate of 18. He will be looking forward to improving the numbers this season for sure.
#2. Glenn Maxwell vs Rashid Khan
This is a battle of unconventional cricketers, if we may call it so. The flamboyant all-rounder, Glenn Maxwell was one of the highest run-scorer for KXIP in IPL 2014 as he had amassed 552 runs in 16 matches at a strike-rate of 187.75. Even in the last game against KXIP he played a fiery and knock and would be expected to continue his form against SRH as well.
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Hardik’s battle with Rashid Khan promises to be an enthralling one. Rashid has a knack of taking crucial wickets which will help him disturbing the rhythm of KXIP. He is one of the best spinners in T20 cricket and Maxwell will have to bat at his ferocious best to unsettle the leggie.
#3. David Warner vs Mohammed Shami
The flamboyant Australian opener, David Warner played a crucial role in SRH’s batting outfit last year. His stunning numbers in 2019 reveal the kind of impact he had on the tournament — 692 runs at a strike rate of 143.86. He would look to carry on from where he left off last year. While he was equally dangerous against pace and spin last year, his battle against fast bowlers on UAE surfaces would be interesting to watch.
The pitches at venues in the Middle-East make shot-making slightly more difficult, which is why someone like Mohammed Shami might trouble the big-hitting opener. Warner has the ability to keep things tight and get through his overs quickly. If he can keep the southpaw quiet, it might produce a false shot as the attacking batsman might look to break open.
