KKR could kill KXIP’s hopes | IPL 2020 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab: SWOT Analysis

The Kolkata Knight Riders face the Kings XI Punjab in match 46 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Here's the analysis:

The SWOT for KKR

Strengths: The bowling seems to be working. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy has the best bowling figures of the season and Lockie Ferguson has added much-needed fire to the pace department. Pat Cummins has bowled tight overs but he is not quite at his best. The return of Sunil Narine bodes well for the team. The pacers Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi and Prasidh Krishna have also been impressive.

Weaknesses: The batting has been inconsistent with just eight fifties produced this season. Captain Eoin Morgan is yet to get a fifty and Shubman Gill’s early form has evaporated. KKR have shuffled their batting order in almost every match and that highlights a state of confusion.

Opportunities: The team could kill KXIP’s second-round hopes and get closer to sealing their play-off spot. They can still be pushed out of contention and need to be careful.

Threats: The performances have swung like a pendulum this season. From an embarrassing eight-wicket defeat against Bangalore to delivering a 59-run thumping to Delhi, KKR fans have experienced it all. Eoin Morgan will hope that the team finds its groove soon.

The SWOT for KXIP

Strengths: The team seems to be doing everything right and their form is their biggest strength. KL Rahul has made the right moves in the last four matches. It's difficult to tackle a team that is approaching every match with so much confidence.

Weaknesses: There's an over-reliance on Rahul to get the runs and Glenn Maxwell with the bat is in awful form. The skipper has done the bulk of the scoring this season. Mayank Agarwal is injured, so the other batsmen need to start contributing.

Opportunities: The team can overtake KKR with a win and reach fourth place. Rahul can demonstrate that he can be a good captain.

Threats: The team should approach the match with caution and should not get overwhelmed by the occasion.

Head to head:

Matches played: 26

Kolkata Knight Riders: 18

Kings XI Punjab: 8

Last five matches (most recent first):

Kolkata Knight Riders: W-L-W-L-L

Kings XI Punjab: W-W-W-W-L

What happened in the reverse fixture?

Dinesh Karthik’s Man of the Match performance of 58 from 29 balls set up a thrilling two-run win for KKR.

Deccan Herald’s Dream XI

KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (c), Nicholas Pooran (wk), M Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy

Team news

KXIP need to recover from the loss of Mayank Agarwal and KKR need to do without Andre Russell.

Ground conditions

The sky will be hazy with the temperature around 22 degrees Celsius. The humidity will be about 50% with winds in the evening.

Impact player for KKR

Lockie Ferguson: With him in the playing XI, the bowling unit looks sharper. Lockie bowls at a mean pace and has got five wickets. With him attacking from one end, the other bowlers are able to apply pressure and snag wickets.

Impact player for KXIP

KL Rahul: The match against SRH highlighted how important it is for Rahul to get runs. When he gets out early, the team struggles. He needs to carry the team with his run-scoring.

How to watch

The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network. Viewers can also catch the action online on Disney+Hotstar. The match begins at 7.30 PM IST.