The best of Caribbean talent will on display when the Kolkata Knight Riders open their IPL campaign against the Mumbai Indians at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
MI have Kieron Pollard in their ranks and KKR enjoy the services of Sunil Narine and Andre Russell. All three West Indies players have proven their mettle in the T20 format and can turn the match on its head on their day.
As KKR begin the quest for their first IPL title since 2014, they might have hoped for an opening clash against another team. The numbers show that the KKR-MI rivalry over the years has become lopsided and KKR have managed just one win in the last five contests between the sides.
MI, for their part, will be banking on history to turn the tide, following a five-wicket loss against the Chennai Super Kings in their season opener.
Let's look at the SWOT now.
The SWOT for KKR
Strengths: The middle-order comprising Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell is formidable, flexible and packs a punch. It's probably the best among all the tournament teams.
Weaknesses: The four Indian fast bowlers Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna and Sandeep Warrier don't offer much in terms of IPL experience.
Opportunities: Shubman Gill can cement his place as KKR opener. This season should give him enough opportunities to play a free brand of cricket and do justice to his talent.
Threats: Kuldeep Yadav was not able to make an impact in IPL 2019. He and Sunil Narine need to step up and grab wickets when the team needs them. Varun Chakravarthy and Chris Green should also play their parts as the pitches get slower.
The SWOT for MI
Strengths: Although Lasith Malinga is absent, the pace troika of Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and James Pattinson bowled well against CSK. The pace attack looks even more potent with wicket-taker Mitchell McClenaghan and the experienced Nathan Coulter-Nile waiting in the wings.
Weaknesses: MI remain thin on spin bowling. If Rahul Chahar doesn’t click, the problems will multiply for Rohit Sharma.
Opportunities: With just seven fifties in the last three editions, Rohit Sharma hasn't made a mark that stands out in his recent IPL career. For the legendary white-ball cricketer that he is, Rohit needs to set his IPL record straight.
Threats: On paper, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard are all-rounders but they did not bowl in the first match. The CSK match was Pandya's first competitive game after back surgery and the first one since September 2019. He doesn't seem fit enough to bowl yet. And Pollard did bowl in the Caribbean Premier League recently. The balance of the team is under threat if at least one of the two don't join the bowling ranks.
Team news
Players from both squads seem fit and healthy. The two captains should be able to pick the strongest possible XIs for this contest.
Head to head:
Matches played: 25
KKR: 6
MI: 19
Last five matches (most recent first):
KKR: L-W-W-L-L
MI: L-W-W-T-L
Ground conditions
It will be partly cloudy. The temperature will be around 31 degrees Celsius. There will be a gentle breeze. The humidity will be around 71%.
Deccan Herald's Dream XI
Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Eoin Morgan, Hardik Pandya, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Sandeep Warrier
Impact player for KKR
Andre Russell: Andre Russell was difficult to stop last season. The big-hitting Jamaican smashed a league record 52 sixes in IPL 2019 and has the highest strike rate of any batsman in the league. In 64 matches, Russell has an eye-popping strike rate of 186.41. He chips in with occasional wickets as well.
Impact player for MI
Jasprit Bumrah: The Indian speedster had a tough outing against CSK, giving away 43 runs for just one wicket. He has been one of the most consistent bowlers for MI. The pacer has picked up 57 wickets in the last three seasons. Once he gets going, his yorkers and slower balls in the death overs are game-changers.
Betting odds (bet365)
KKR: 11/10
MI: 8/11
How to watch the match
The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network. Online viewers can catch the action on Disney+Hotstar. The match begins at 7.30 PM IST.
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