<p>The Punjab Kings will look to gain some momentum when they take on the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in match 21. Eoin Morgan’s KKR will be desperate for a second win after four straight defeats. Here is our analysis:</p>.<p><strong>The SWOT for KKR:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Strengths:</strong> KKR bowlers are putting up a good performance. Andre Russell is the team’s leading wicket-taker with seven scalps. Varun Chakravarthy has picked six wickets. Pat Cummins and Prasidh Krishna have picked four and five wickets respectively. Eoin Morgan has also given chance to Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi. Morgan also has the luxury of picking the best spinner from the trio of Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine and Harbhajan Singh, taking into account the condition and the opposition.</p>.<p><strong>Weaknesses: </strong>Failure of Shubhman Gill and Eoin Morgan to get runs will not enthuse the team. Gill has fetched only 80 runs at an average of just 16.00 so far. In the middle-order, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan has an even poorer record. He has scored a total of just 45 runs in five innings and is averaging an abysmal 9.00. KKR had hoped over the years that Gill and Morgan could be the shining stars of the team, delivering big scores. They have the skills but are yet to figure out a way to perform in the league.</p>.<p><strong>Opportunities:</strong> KKR opener Shubhman Gill has come under severe criticism for failing to get big runs. The right-handed batsman has just two scores above 20 in the five matches that he has played. But Punjab Kings can be the perfect opponent for Gill to get some runs under the belt. Last season, he hammered two fifties against the team. and had hit seven fours and four sixes in total. This is the opportunity to get back in form and retain his spot.</p>.<p><strong>Threats:</strong> After four successive losses, KKR have slid to the bottom of the points table with just two points from five games. The form of the players and the team’s gameplay doesn’t inspire much confidence either. KKR are staring at the terrifying prospect of five successive losses. It will take an extraordinary effort for the team to win from the condition they are in.</p>.<p><strong>The SWOT for Punjab Kings:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Strengths:</strong> With the inclusion of Moises Henriques and Fabian Allen, PBKS have stretched their batting. This is something that was lacking in the team’s early-season matches. If these two continue to feature in the playing XI, then PBKS have as many as eight players who can hit the ball big and get runs for the team. However, a long batting lineup doesn’t necessarily imply a successful batting lineup. The likes of Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran, who are now the team’s regular players, should start delivering to make batting look further more menacing.</p>.<p><strong>Weaknesses: </strong>Unsettled bowling attack is proving to be KL Rahul’s biggest headache. The skipper has used as many as 10 bowlers who have at least bowled one over for the team this season. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami together have picked 12 wickets and are the top two wicket-takers of the team. The next four leading wicket-takers have picked only eight wickets in total. If the bowlers keep failing, then it would be difficult for PBKS to make it to the playoffs. </p>.<p><strong>Opportunities:</strong> After leg spinner Murugan Ashwin failed to impress in the three games that he played, managing just one wicket, he was replaced by Ravi Bishnoi for the match against MI and he delivered results in his first appearance this season, picking up wickets of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. Considering how the pitches at this venue were prepared for the series against England, Bishnoi can get an extended run in the team. He is effective against left-handed batsmen and the KKR batting lineup is full of such batters. So Bishnoi is a player to watch out for. </p>.<p><strong>Threats: </strong>This will be the match of IPL 2021 to be played at the Narendra Modi stadium. Ideally, KL Rahul would have wanted his team to be in familiar conditions, with the players getting used to pitches. But in Ahmedabad, the conditions will be new for both teams. Hence, KL Rahul’s team have no advantage as such. Another loss and the team can again get into a slump.</p>.<p><strong>Head-to-head:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Matches played:</strong> 27</p>.<p><strong>Punjab Kings:</strong> 9</p>.<p><strong>Kolkata Knight Riders: </strong>18</p>.<p><strong>Form guide: Last five matches (most recent first)</strong></p>.<p><strong>PBKS: </strong>W-L-L-L-W</p>.<p><strong>KKR: </strong>L-L-L-L-W</p>.<p><strong>Team news:</strong></p>.<p>No injury concerns reported for either team.</p>.<p><strong>Deccan Herald’s dream XI</strong></p>.<p>KL Rahul (captain & wicketkeeper), Chris Gayle, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Shahrukh Khan, Fabian Allen, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Ravi Bishnoi.</p>.<p><strong>Impact player for PBKS:</strong></p>.<p><strong>KL Rahul:</strong> With three half-centuries and 221 runs, KL Rahul is the team’s leading run-scorer. He is averaging 55.25 and has a strike rate of 133.33. On a tough track, he helped his team to chase down 131 against the Mumbai Indians by scoring 60 runs off 52 balls. The onus will again be on Rahul to deliver with the bat.</p>.<p><strong>Impact player for KKR:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Varun Chakravarthy: </strong>The spinner is once again among the wickets. He has picked six wickets so far. Even in the team’s humiliating 6-wicket loss against RR, Chakravarthy picked the wickets of Jos Buttler and Shivam Dube to keep the match alive for some time.</p>
<p>The Punjab Kings will look to gain some momentum when they take on the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in match 21. Eoin Morgan’s KKR will be desperate for a second win after four straight defeats. Here is our analysis:</p>.<p><strong>The SWOT for KKR:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Strengths:</strong> KKR bowlers are putting up a good performance. Andre Russell is the team’s leading wicket-taker with seven scalps. Varun Chakravarthy has picked six wickets. Pat Cummins and Prasidh Krishna have picked four and five wickets respectively. Eoin Morgan has also given chance to Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi. Morgan also has the luxury of picking the best spinner from the trio of Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine and Harbhajan Singh, taking into account the condition and the opposition.</p>.<p><strong>Weaknesses: </strong>Failure of Shubhman Gill and Eoin Morgan to get runs will not enthuse the team. Gill has fetched only 80 runs at an average of just 16.00 so far. In the middle-order, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan has an even poorer record. He has scored a total of just 45 runs in five innings and is averaging an abysmal 9.00. KKR had hoped over the years that Gill and Morgan could be the shining stars of the team, delivering big scores. They have the skills but are yet to figure out a way to perform in the league.</p>.<p><strong>Opportunities:</strong> KKR opener Shubhman Gill has come under severe criticism for failing to get big runs. The right-handed batsman has just two scores above 20 in the five matches that he has played. But Punjab Kings can be the perfect opponent for Gill to get some runs under the belt. Last season, he hammered two fifties against the team. and had hit seven fours and four sixes in total. This is the opportunity to get back in form and retain his spot.</p>.<p><strong>Threats:</strong> After four successive losses, KKR have slid to the bottom of the points table with just two points from five games. The form of the players and the team’s gameplay doesn’t inspire much confidence either. KKR are staring at the terrifying prospect of five successive losses. It will take an extraordinary effort for the team to win from the condition they are in.</p>.<p><strong>The SWOT for Punjab Kings:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Strengths:</strong> With the inclusion of Moises Henriques and Fabian Allen, PBKS have stretched their batting. This is something that was lacking in the team’s early-season matches. If these two continue to feature in the playing XI, then PBKS have as many as eight players who can hit the ball big and get runs for the team. However, a long batting lineup doesn’t necessarily imply a successful batting lineup. The likes of Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran, who are now the team’s regular players, should start delivering to make batting look further more menacing.</p>.<p><strong>Weaknesses: </strong>Unsettled bowling attack is proving to be KL Rahul’s biggest headache. The skipper has used as many as 10 bowlers who have at least bowled one over for the team this season. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami together have picked 12 wickets and are the top two wicket-takers of the team. The next four leading wicket-takers have picked only eight wickets in total. If the bowlers keep failing, then it would be difficult for PBKS to make it to the playoffs. </p>.<p><strong>Opportunities:</strong> After leg spinner Murugan Ashwin failed to impress in the three games that he played, managing just one wicket, he was replaced by Ravi Bishnoi for the match against MI and he delivered results in his first appearance this season, picking up wickets of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. Considering how the pitches at this venue were prepared for the series against England, Bishnoi can get an extended run in the team. He is effective against left-handed batsmen and the KKR batting lineup is full of such batters. So Bishnoi is a player to watch out for. </p>.<p><strong>Threats: </strong>This will be the match of IPL 2021 to be played at the Narendra Modi stadium. Ideally, KL Rahul would have wanted his team to be in familiar conditions, with the players getting used to pitches. But in Ahmedabad, the conditions will be new for both teams. Hence, KL Rahul’s team have no advantage as such. Another loss and the team can again get into a slump.</p>.<p><strong>Head-to-head:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Matches played:</strong> 27</p>.<p><strong>Punjab Kings:</strong> 9</p>.<p><strong>Kolkata Knight Riders: </strong>18</p>.<p><strong>Form guide: Last five matches (most recent first)</strong></p>.<p><strong>PBKS: </strong>W-L-L-L-W</p>.<p><strong>KKR: </strong>L-L-L-L-W</p>.<p><strong>Team news:</strong></p>.<p>No injury concerns reported for either team.</p>.<p><strong>Deccan Herald’s dream XI</strong></p>.<p>KL Rahul (captain & wicketkeeper), Chris Gayle, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Shahrukh Khan, Fabian Allen, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Ravi Bishnoi.</p>.<p><strong>Impact player for PBKS:</strong></p>.<p><strong>KL Rahul:</strong> With three half-centuries and 221 runs, KL Rahul is the team’s leading run-scorer. He is averaging 55.25 and has a strike rate of 133.33. On a tough track, he helped his team to chase down 131 against the Mumbai Indians by scoring 60 runs off 52 balls. The onus will again be on Rahul to deliver with the bat.</p>.<p><strong>Impact player for KKR:</strong></p>.<p><strong>Varun Chakravarthy: </strong>The spinner is once again among the wickets. He has picked six wickets so far. Even in the team’s humiliating 6-wicket loss against RR, Chakravarthy picked the wickets of Jos Buttler and Shivam Dube to keep the match alive for some time.</p>