Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made an outstanding start to the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets. The Dinesh Karthik-led side will look to pick up two more points when they face Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at home on March 27 (Wednesday).
Andre Russell and Shubman Gill brought an exciting victory after an onslaught from David Warner on Sunday afternoon. The bowlers had very little to do against in-form Warner but they need to start picking wickets. The Punjab line-up boasts some devastating batters who can turn the fate of the game quickly.
On the batting front, they will hope their Australian opener Chris Lynn gets his touch back early in the tournament. When on song, the right-handed batsman can set the stage on fire single-handedly. However, the Knight Riders won’t look to tinker with the winning combinations and field the same team against Ravichandran Ashwin-led Kings XI Punjab.
Here is the predicted XI of Kolkata Knight Riders of match 6 of IPL 2019 against Kings XI Punjab at the Eden Gardens:
CHRIS LYNN
Chris Lynn had a poor start to the 2019 edition of the IPL. However, he will be keen to make amend and return to the scoring ways when Kolkata takes of the Kings XI at the home turf.
NITISH RANA
Promoted to open the innings, Nitish Rana stood tall from one end of the wicket. He has been among the runs and will look to continue his good form in the upcoming matches.
ROBIN UTHAPPA
Robin Uthappa holds the key to Kolkata Knight Riders’ batting order. The experienced batter can pace his innings beautifully and needs to keep up the form if his side has to make progress in the tournament.
DINESH KARTHIK
Dinesh Karthik has emerged a potential skipper and his ability to lead a young team has earned praise. Although he missed the opportunity in the first game, Karthik’s ability to finish games make him stand apart from the rest.
ANDRE RUSSELL
Andre Russell announced his arrival in the IPL with a scintillating match-winning knock for the Kolkata Knight Riders. The form of the Windies all-rounder will be pivotal if the Knight Riders want to continue their winning run.
SHUBMAN GILL
The young Shubman Gill played a key hand alongside Russell during Kolkata’s season-opener. The batsman from Punjab will desperately want to contribute to his team’s success with the bat. He is a bright prospect and will look to use this platform to strengthen his claim for an India spot.
SUNIL NARINE
Sunil Narine had a poor outing against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, he is a champion cricketer in this format and will have to step up to contain an able Kings XI Punjab batting unit.
PIYUSH CHAWLA
Piyush Chawla has loads of experience and has been representing Kolkata Knight Riders for quite some time now. He understands his role and will aim to fox batsmen with his deceptive googlies.
LOCKIE FERGUSON
Lockie Ferguson had an average outing on his debut for the Knight Riders. However, he needs to start picking wickets – the job he has been bestowed upon. The New Zealand quick can bowl at a good pace and will aim to beat batsmen with extra pace.
KULDEEP YADAV
Kuldeep Yadav has been a key performer for the franchise helping them lift the title in 2014. He went for a few runs in the first game but that shouldn’t be a sign of worry as the left-arm leg-spinner knows very well how to bounce back.
PRASIDH KRISHNA
Prasidh Krishna grabbed his opportunity to full effect when he came as a replacement last season. Despite being wicketless, he bowled a good line and length against a devastating David Warner. However, the young fast bowler will look to provide early breakthroughs with the new ball.