In the upcoming clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens on May 11th, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Currently, KKR holds the coveted top spot on the points table, showcasing dominance with eight wins in eleven matches, while MI struggles at the bottom of the table with just four wins out of twelve.
In their recent outings, KKR demonstrated their mettle with a commanding 98-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants, propelled by a stellar performance from Sunil Narine, who contributed 81 runs and a crucial wicket. Conversely, MI found a ray of hope in their last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, clinching a win with Suryakumar Yadav’s spectacular century, scoring 102 runs.
While history favours KKR with 10 wins out of 33 encounters against MI, the latter has emerged victorious 23 times, underscoring their strong presence in the league. Despite Delhi Capitals managing to restrict KKR to 153 in a recent match, Kolkata has been witness to high-scoring games this season, with teams consistently breaching the 200-run mark.
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The forecast for the match remains promising, despite initial disruptions due to rain in Kolkata. With both teams eager to assert their dominance, fans can expect another thrilling, high-scoring showdown at Eden Gardens. As the teams gear up to face each other, the head-to-head record of KKR with 10 wins against MI’s 23 adds an intriguing layer of anticipation to the match.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
In the upcoming MI-KKR clash, Rohit Sharma’s dismissal history against Sunil Narine is notable, having fallen to him ten times, making Narine a key threat. Additionally, Sharma’s susceptibility to left-arm pace this season suggests Mitchell Starc could complement Narine well in the powerplay.
Shreyas Iyer’s solid performance against Jasprit Bumrah, with 59 runs off 40 balls and one dismissal, positions him as a crucial player for KKR against MI’s bowling attack. Andre Russell’s success against Suryakumar Yadav, dismissing him thrice in 26 deliveries, adds another dimension to KKR’s strategy.
Probable XI: Phil Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana
Mumbai Indians (MI)
MI’s reliance on Nuwan Thushara, who made an early impact in the last encounter, highlights their bowling strategy. Jasprit Bumrah’s proficiency against Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh, dismissing them twice each, further strengthens MI’s bowling arsenal. Considering Luke Wood’s potential inclusion, MI aims to capitalize on favorable matchups against KKR’s left-arm pace vulnerabilities, with Narine, Shreyas, and Venkatesh collectively dismissed nine times by left-arm pacers in this IPL season.
Probable XI: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Anshul Kamboj/Luke Wood, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Nuwan Thushara
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Phil Salt, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Tilak Varma, Sunil Narine (C), Andre Russell, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell Starc
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Phil Salt, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine(vc), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy
