After a small stumble against Gujarat Lions in the last game, we are ready to face the Royal Challengers Bangalore in our seventh game of the season. What are the numbers that you need to look out for?
A #DusKiDahaad at the top: When it comes to expressing with the bat during the Powerplay overs, no team has done it better than us, this season! In the six matches played so far, we have scored at a run rate of 10.06 with a boundary % of 71.8. Our Knights are following this season’s mantra ‘#DusKiDahaad’ with the bat.
‘Tweaking’ the KKR story: We have always been a side consisting of quality spinners and this year is no different. We have Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Shakib Al Hasan and Piyush Chawla as our main spinners with Yusuf Pathan providing efficient back-up. In the last two IPLs, our Knights have taken 51 wickets in 21 matches, second highest by any team in this tournament since 2016.
PC has the big three’s number: Piyush Chawla has a tremendous record against big names of the RCB batting line-up. To start, Chawla has dismissed AB de Villiers 4 times in 8 innings. The South African averages just 10.8 against him and has a low strike rate of 97.7. AB de Villiers is not the only RCB batsman Chawla has got the better off. Shane Watson (8 innings) and Virat Kohli (11 innings) have found their names in Chawla’s wicket column three times each as well.
‘Narine Oh Narine’: Sunil Narine, the bowler, has foxed many batsmen with his variations! Shane Watson and Chris Gayle are no different. Having come across Gayle many times in domestic circuit as well as tournaments around the world, Narine has dismissed the burly Jamican on 4 occasions in 13 games. The big-hitting RCB batsman averages just 15.8 and his strike rate reads 73.3. On the other hand, Watson, has been dismissed by Narine 5 times in 11 innings.
Kaise kar lete ho Pandey ji?: After joining the team in 2014, Manish Pandey has been pivotal to our team’s success. The middle-order batsman has been the highest run-getter for us so far this season as he continues to grow in stature every single day. His next match will be his 150th in T20s and wouldn’t we love another amazing innings from him!
Two short of a bowling hundred: Speedster Umesh Yadav has emerged as the backbone of our bowling line-up in this IPL. After having a stupendous season with India, expectations increased from Umesh and he has been able to deliver the goods. He needs 2 to complete 100 wickets in T20s.
With so many things to look forward to, this surely will be one big night at Eden Gardens!
