KKR vs KXIP Playerzpot Prediction IPL Preview, Team News, Playing 11

After registering their maiden win in the opening encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders brace to host Kings XI Punjab in Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Kings XI Punjab has also started their IPL campaign of this season on a winning note by thumping the Rajasthan Royals by 14 runs. On a night where the ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle scored 79 runs off 47 runs to set the tone of the match, the match also hogged headlines for the infamous ‘Mankad Controversy’ when Kings XI Punjab spinner R Ashwin ran out Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler at the non-striker’s end.

Kolkata Knight Riders won their first encounter against backing on the blitzkriegs of Andre Russell whose 19-balls balls knock decorated by four boundaries and as many sixes kept the whole crowd at the edge of their seats until the end of the run-chase.

As the caravan of IPL moves forward both the teams would look forward to maintaining an early lead in the initial headers of the tournament.

Bowlers didn’t bowl bad but Andre Russell smashed them: Rashid Khan

“Andre Russell played an excellent knock. He took the game away from us. He played all the shots very well, the bowlers did not bowl bad deliveries but he just smashed them,” said Rashid Khan.

Last 16 balls of #KKRvsSRH – 6,6,1,1,4,1,4,6,4,0,6,1,1,6,0,6 ?

We scored 53 off the last 16 balls – that's the most anyone has scored to win in the last three overs of any #IPL game ever! ?#KKRHaiTaiyaar pic.twitter.com/WMCW38woXe

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 26, 2019

Youngsters want to win the tournament for the ‘Universe Boss’: Chris Gayle

“This is a big ground and it is really important to score runs in the first game. I have been in a bit of form in the England series and it feels great to start off the IPL on a positive note.”

Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

When: 27 March 2019, 08:00 pm

HEAD TO HEAD:

KKR against KXIP

Played- 23

Win- 15

Loss- 08

Team News:

KKR’s Sunil Narine injured himself on the ground against Sunrisers Hyderabad but KKR coach Jacques Kallis has confirmed that he will be fit before the game.

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad

Dinesh Karthik (c), Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Nikhil Naik, Joe Denly, Shrikant Mundhe, Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Nitish Rana, Sandeep Warrier, Prasidh Krishna, Lockie Ferguson, Harry Gurney, KC Cariappa and Yarra Prithviraj.

Kings XI Punjab Squad

R Ashwin (C), Hardus Viljoen, Darshan Nalkande, Sarfaraz Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Agnivesh Ayachi, Harpreet Brar, Murugan Ashwin, Chris Gayle, Andrew Tye, K L Rahul, Ankit Rajpoot, Sam Curran, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mohammed Shami, Nicholas Pooran, Moises Henriques, Mandeep Singh, Simran Singh, Mayank Agrawal, Karun Nair, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and David Miller.

Kolkata Knight Riders Playing XI

Chris Lynn, Nitish Rana, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Prasidh Krishna, Piyush Chawla, Lockie Ferguson, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav

Kings XI Punjab Playing XI

Lokesh Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Sarfaraz Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, Sam Curran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ankit Rajpoot

Fantasy Picks Kolkata Knight Riders

Russell’s mayhem in the final overs gave KKR a dramatic six-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders. He proved in the last match why he is an asset for the franchise and he would look forward to carrying his menacing form forward.
Apart from Russell, all-rounder Sunil Narine and batsman Chris Lynn are also safe fantasy picks for the side.

Fantasy Picks Kings XI Punjab

Universe Boss continued his purple patch as he scored 79 runs off 47 balls. After starting slow, Gayle began to hit the ball out of the park as he helped his team begin the tournament on a winning note.
For Kolkata, the impetus would be on the likes of Chris Lynn, Andre Russell and Robin Uthappa. All these are prominent match winners and are capable of changing the fortunes of their side.
In the bowling department among the two sides, M Shami, Kuldeep Yadav and Mujeeb will hold the key.