Eden Gardens, Kolkata. (Photo Source: BCCI)
Kolkata Knight Riders are second on the IPL 2024 points table and Delhi Capitals are fifth. But only the net run rate is what separates these two teams from each other. KKR have five wins in nine matches, while DC also have five wins, but in ten matches instead. These two teams will now face each other for the second time in IPL 2024, this time in Kolkata, marking the fourth consecutive home game for KKR.
KKR’s last three matches have all taken the viewers on roller-coaster rides. Against RR, KKR conceded the then joint-highest successful chase in the IPL, against RCB, they won by just one run after scoring 222 themselves, and then came the behemoth that has left everyone flabbergasted. KKR conceded the highest successful chase in all T20s to Punjab Kings who were led by Jonny Bairstow and Shashank Singh in the behemoth chase. Phil Salt and Sunil Narine showed promise for KKR’s batting, but their bowling barring Narine was a flopshow.
Delhi Capitals enjoyed a win against MI in their latest match, and that did not come very easy to them either. After a freakshow by Jake Fraser-McGurk, cameos from Shai Hope and Tristan Stubbs led DC to 257. DC’s bowling started well, but Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Tim David tried to turn the tide in MI’s favour but DC managed to keep their nerves mainly on the back of Rasikh Salam’s bowling.
In the reverse fixture in Visakhapatnam, KKR had put DC through a very harsh ordeal by piling up 272 and then promptly defending it by a very big margin of 106 runs.
Eden Gardens Pitch Report:
At a stadium which saw the highest total successfully chased in the IPL, and then in all T20s in two of its last three matches, anything less than a very flat surface should not be expected. This surface will provide even more cause for worry to the bowlers. And with players like Fraser-McGurk and Stubbs on show, another 250+ total is going to be on the cards.
IPL Stats and Records at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
There have not been any no results here in this tournament, and as many as 54 matches out of 91 have been won chasing here. The average first innings score is 162.
| Matches Played | Matches Won Batting First | Matches Won Batting Second | Matches Won Winning Toss | Matches Won Losing Toss | Matches With No Result | Highest Team Total | Lowest Team Total | Average First Innings Total | Highest Total Successfully Chased |
| 91 | 37 | 54 | 49 | 42 | 0 | 262/2 | 49 | 161 | 262 |
KKR vs DC Strategies & Match-ups:
Both sides house some very aggressive batters that can take the total here to dizzying heights. At the moment there does not seem to be any respite for the bowlers at this stadium. So the simple strategy is to outbat the opposition even if in the second innings. The important matchups for this contest are: Sunil Narine vs Rishabh Pant, Harshit Rana vs Jake Fraser-McGurk, Andre Russell vs Rasikh Salam, Andre Russell vs Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy vs Tristan Stubbs.
Player Battles to Watch Out For:
Andre Russell vs Kuldeep Yadav:
The former teammates at KKR do not have a very extensive record against each other, but the existing one seems to tell a story. Yadav has bowled only ten balls to Russell and dismissed him once. But the shocking part lies in the fact that with one dismissal, Russell has managed only four runs at an average of four and strike rate of 40 against the bowler.
Rishabh Pant vs Sunil Narine:
The Capitals skipper has only managed 40 runs in 38 balls against Narine in the IPL. But, Narine has never actually managed to dismiss Pant in the IPL despite that low strike rate of 105.26.
X-Factors for KKR vs DC:
Kolkata Knight Riders:
Sunil Narine was the biggest reason KKR posted 261 in their last game, and he was also the only bowler to pose any sort of challenge to the PBKS batters that chased this total down. He will again be at the forefront and help KKR’s cause and let DC leapfrog them in the points table.
Delhi Capitals:
The single biggest reason that took the Capitals to 257 last game was Jake Fraser-McGurk. He will be licking his lips after looking at PBKS chase 262 down in the last match here at Kolkata and will be raring to take down the KKR bowling which will almost definitely be low on morale.