MATCH DETAILS:
Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 Match 54 has a blockbuster clash coming our way as Kolkata Knight Riders’ playoff hopefuls take on Rajasthan Royals on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The match would telecasted live from 7:30pm onwards.
PREVIEW FOR DREAM11 FANTASY:
So far in IPL 2020, it has been a topsy-turvy campaign for both sides, but KKR will be somewhat disappointed with where they stand at the moment in the competition this season.
Despite having a star-studded squad including two former IPL MVPs in Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, KKR have largely underwhelmed, as they have only six wins to show for their efforts so far.
Even, a change of captaincy has not changed their fortunes, as during the course of the tournament, none of their batsmen were able to put their foot down and retain their form. KKR are down for the count with a lower NRR and a bowling attack that lacks confidence, but they still have a chance of going through to the IPL 2020 playoffs.
At the most opportune moment, their rivals, the Rajasthan Royals, found their mojo, with Ben Stokes leading from the front. The all-rounder has led RR to two major victories over MI and KXIP, but the Royals also have a negative NRR like KKR, which may ultimately have an effect.
In their bowling attack, RR also has a few issues that have relied too heavily on Archer, whose sheer speed and precision have been too hot to handle. They will need him to shoot again, as in this IPL game, a possible playoff spot is hanging in the balance.
In IPL 2020, the reverse fixture between the two teams saw KKR defeat RR by a massive margin, while the Rajasthan Royals are the strong favourites going into this game by the look of things.
With this game being a do-or-die one for either side, the stakes for both teams could not have been any higher, as this happens to be their last IPL 2020 league matches as well. Another high-scoring encounter in Dubai could be expected, as both sides struggle hard in IPL 2020 to stay alive.
WEATHER CONDITION:
The average maximum daytime temperature for the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the coming week will be about 32 ° C, with a high of 33 ° C for the week forecast on Saturday 31st afternoon. The minimum temperature average will be 23 ° C, falling to its lowest at 21 ° C on the morning of Monday 2nd. The week will stay overwhelmingly dry. The winds are expected to be mild overall.
PITCH REPORT:
As the last few games at this venue in IPL 2020 have seen a few reasonably high-scoring encounters, the pitch at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium should be a decent one to bat on.
As has been the case this season at all the venues in the tournament, there is some swing on offer early on for the pacers, while spinners should have a greater say in Dubai’s scheme of things.
For slow bowlers, there is likely to be a lot of turnover on offer. With one side of the ground being bigger than the other, in the middle overs, it should be an intriguing battle between the batsmen and the spinners. Wickets in hand will be crucial for the batting side, as teams have opted for a more prolific second half to see out the powerplay process.
Both teams will look to chase after winning the toss, which has become the new norm in IPL 2020, with dew playing a role in the evening games. At this venue, 160-170 should be a competitive number.
INJURY AND AVAILABILITY NEWS:
There is no update still on MI skipper Rohit Sharma’s availability. He is likely to miss this game too.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS:
Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan (C), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Sunil Narine, Shivam Mavi/Rinku Singh, Andre Russell/Lockie Ferguson, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Varun Chakravarthy and Pat Cummins.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI OF RAJASTHAN ROYALS:
Ben Stokes, Robin Uthappa, Steve Smith (C), Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler (WK), Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Varun Aaron/Jaydev Unadkat, Jofra Archer, Kartik Tyagi and Shreyas Gopal.
DREAM XI TEAM FOR KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS Vs RAJASTHAN ROYALS:
1. Wicket Keeper– Jos Buttler and Dinesh Karthik.
2. Batsmen– Shubman Gill, Eoin Morgan and Robin Uthappa.
3. All rounders– Ben Stokes and Sunil Narine.
4. Bowlers– Jofra Archer, Varun Chakravarthy, Pat Cummins and Shreyas Gopal.
*Disclaimer: A team here is picked based on the perception, analysis, and gut feeling of the author. When you select your team, analyze the points mentioned to arrive at your own decision.*
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