Image Credit- BCCI
Two batting heavyweights who have been on a tear recently square up at a location where the 200-run mark has been broken in eight of the ten innings in the 2024 Indian Premier League. Is anything less than a really successful event possible?
In their last three games, KKR has scored more than 220; in their last three games, DC has scored more than 220 twice, with the other tally being 199. This season, KKR leads the powerplay scoring race with 11.18, followed by DC with 10.41. And it depends on how both teams open.
Phil Salt has been a reliable opening partner for Sunil Narine, who has amassed 357 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 184.02. With an average of 50.75, the pair’s run rate of 12.36 is the second-best of any starting pair. However, DC has two bowlers who could pose a threat to the KKR top order in Khaleel Ahmed and Kuldeep Yadav.
During the IPL, Kuldeep has bowled three balls to Narine and removed him twice at an average of 2.00. Overall, he has a great record against his former team, having taken 10 wickets in three games at a strike rate of once per six balls. In contrast, Khaleel has dismissed Narine twice in four innings. Venkatesh Iyer has played just four balls off him and fell once, while Shreyas Iyer has fallen to him twice in 20 balls at an average of 12.5. Are they KKR’s worst enemy?
KKR, on the other hand, will need to devise a strategy fast to overcome Jake Fraser-McGurk, who has already hit 247 runs at a strike average of 237.50 in five innings.
DC made a swift recovery after defeating the Mumbai Indians on Saturday. But they’ve emerged victorious from their last five games, so perhaps that’s a good thing. With two victories and seven defeats in nine games, they have an appalling record at Eden Gardens. However, a victory here might propel them into the top four spots on the standings. KKR would be itching to win going into the match because they were unable to hold off Punjab Kings’ 261 points.
When these two teams last played in Visakhapatnam, it was a run-fest, with Narine hammering 85 off of 39 balls to help KKR set the third-highest IPL record. Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs responded with fifty-seven runs each, but DC could only muster 166.
Fraser-McGurk has the highest strike rate (252.08) among openers who have scored at least 100 runs in the powerplay this season. In just five innings, he has already climbed to joint fifth on the list in the Indian Premier League 2024 with 22 sixes. Fraser-McGurk will aim to keep up the good work after scoring 84 off of just 27 balls against the Mumbai Indians.
Sunil Narine is genuinely fulfilling the role of an all-around player. With his 357 runs in the IPL 2024, Narine leads all KKR batters in runs scored. In the IPL 2024, Narine has taken more wickets than any other KKR bowler with ten. He has taken at least one wicket in every game this season, with his economy of 6.96 trailing only Arora’s 9.57. Narine bowled at an economy of six during KKR’s previous match, in which PBKS chased down 261 in the 19th over. KKR will be fervently hoping that the charm of Narine lasts as long as possible.