KKR have the upper hand when it comes to head-to-head encounters, winning 18 of the 27 matches played between the two sides.
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Match 21 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) will see the Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday. KKR sit at the bottom of the points table after a humiliating defeat vs Rajasthan Royals (RR). PBKS are riding high after securing a clinical victory over the defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). They currently sit at fifth place in the season. The men in purple and gold are desperate for a win after losing four of their last five encounters. Punjab, on the other hand, have not done too well this season either. They have managed to in only twice in their previous five matches.
KKR have the upper hand when it comes to head-to-head encounters, winning 18 of the 27 matches played between the two sides, including the 2014 final. However, it is more likely for KL Rahul’s men to make it 10 wins over the purple and gold.
Here are the predicted starting lineups for both sides.
KL Rahul (Captain, WK): Rahul played a winning knock last time around against the defending champions, as he scored 60 off 52 deliveries to see his side home.
Mayank Agarwal: Agarwal played a short cameo of 25 of 20 deliveries against MI that helped his skipper settle in at his own pace and later go on to win the game. He would be looking to get some more runs against KKR.
Chris Gayle: The Universe Boss smashed an unbeaten 43 off 35 deliveries against MI. He will be looking to pick up where he left off against his former side.
Nicholas Pooran: Despite not performing with the bat all season, skipper KL Rahul seems to have faith in the West Indian. Pooran would be eager to repay that faith against KKR. He also took an exceptional catch in PBKS’ last game.
Deepak Hooda: Hooda did not get to feature with the bat but probably shocked a lot of fans when he was asked to bowl. However, he did not dissapoint, picking up a wicket in his three overs while conceding only 15 runs.
Moises Henriques: The veteran all-rounder proved to be quite economical with the ball against MI. He will, however, look to feature more with the bat.
Shahrukh Khan: The youngster has been in impressive form in the IPL 2021 for his franchise. That being said, he will be looking to carry on his good form against KKR.
Fabian Allen: Allen was expensive with the ball, conceding 30 runs in his three overs against MI. Despite being outstanding on the field, he will look to get amongst the wickets against KKR.
Mohammed Shami: Shami bowled exceptionally well against MI. He picked up two wickets in his for overs while giving away only 21 runs.
Ravi Bishnoi: The leg spinner had the exact same figures as Shami, two wickets in his four overs for just 21 runs. He will be looking to do more of the same against the Knight Riders.
Arshdeep Singh: He might have been expensive in his spell, but Arshdeep has been consistently taking wickets for PBKS, and he did pick one against MI. He is a crucial part of KL Rahul’s arsenal.
Shubman Gill: KKR’s batting lineup collectively disappointed last time sound against RR. However, there is no doubting the skill the batters possess. Gill is one such player who can single-handedly end the game on his day.
Nitish Rana: Rana has been in exceptional form in the IPL 2021. His recent scores suggest that the previous game was a blip. He scored 22 runs off 25 deliveries against RR and will be looking to get more runs against PBKS.
Rahul Tripathi: Tripathi was the only batter who played a somewhat decent knock against RR as he scored 36 runs off 26 deliveries.
Not the outcome we wanted, but can’t fault the effort from our top scorer from last night ??@tripathirahul52 #RRvKKR #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/BtpJiHgxIf
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 25, 2021
Eoin Morgan (Captain): The KKR skipper has had a dismal start to the IPL 2021 so far. He had to return to the pavilion without facing a single ball against RR. He would be eager to contribute to his team’s cause with the bat against PBKS.
Shakib Al Hasan: Sunil Narine’s below-par performances may force Morgan to turn to the Bangladesh all-rounder. Shakib has performed well in the matches he played in and deserves another look-in.
Dinesh Karthik (WK): The former skipper is also one of the few KKR players who are having a decent season. Karthik scored 25 runs off 24 deliveries against RR.
Andre Russell: Apart from the half-century against CSK and a five-wicket haul, Russell has had a pretty ordinary season. However, he is still one of the most dangerous batters in world cricket. KKR are heavily reliant on his power hitting.
Pat Cummins: Cummins might not have impressed in the previous game but he has already shown his worth with both ball and bat this season. KKR will look to hi,m for picking those crucial wickets and also playing explosive cameos down the order.
Shivam Mavi: The youngster had a decent game against RR as he picked up one wicket for only 19 runs in his four overs.
Prasidh Krishna: The pacer also had a decent outing against the Royals as he picked one wicket and gave away 20 runs in his three overs.
Varun Chakravarthy: Arguably Morgan’s most in-form bowler at the moment, Chakravarthy picked up two wickets against RR and conceded 32 runs in his four overs.
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