FANTASY
Follow UsIt is that time of the season, bring out the calculators. While a win could be enough and more for the Lucknow Supergiants to seal themselves a place in the playoffs, a win would only allow the Knight Riders to dream further. That is the beauty of the competition, that teams who looked down and out too stand a chance at making it to the playoffs.
Both sides come into this contest on contrasting fortunes, the Knight Riders have won their last two encounters and in some sublime manner to give themselves a chance at making it to the next stage. On the other hand, a high-flying Lucknow who met Gujarat have met themselves with an accident, resulting in two back-to-back losses.
Ground Details and Team Combination
The Dr. DY Patil Stadium has been one of the most interesting venues in IPL 2022. It has been batter-friendly, it has been pacer-friendly and more recently, it has shown how the tiredness of the pitches have aided spinners. The last three contests at the venue have been largely low-scoring thrillers.
However, the contest prior that was an encounter which Delhi Capitals won’t want to remember – their 91-run loss against Chennai. So, the spinners have played a great role in the last few games at the venue. 67 wickets at the venue have been taken by spinners while the pacers have picked up 165 wickets.
With Ajinkya Rahane’s injury, Kolkata are expected or forced in this case to make a change, with either of Baba Indrajith or Sheldon Jackson returning to the playing XI.
Team Suggestion
The team we've picked has a good mix of world-class batters and bowlers. But remember, while you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.
Captain Selection
Criclytics predicts Russell to score 17-25 runs and pick 2-3 wickets against LSG
X-factors
With a middle-order that has showed some weakness against spin, Nitish Rana has been a stand-out performer for the Knights. The southpaw has scored 319 runs in the season, with his returns increasing in the last eight matches. Against spin, the left-hander has showed no signs of weakness, with 118 runs in the last six games, at a strike-rate of 157, showing how valuable he is for KKR in the middle-overs.
Criclytics predicts Rana to score 21-31 runs against LSG
Deepak Hooda’s 2022 season is one of complete transformation. The right-hander, who thus far has only shown glimpses of spark in the tournament has put on a show in this year’s competition, marrying both consistency and firepower. The right-hander has four 50+ scores in his last six appearances, at a strike-rate of 137.
Criclytics predicts Hooda to score 17-25 runs against KKR
Avesh Khan has been another performer, who has gone under the radar for the Supergiants. Having been snapped at INR 10 crore at the Mega Auction, the Indore pacer was always going to be a key figure in the Lucknow setup. While injuries have halted and marred his consistency this season, the right-arm pacer has overcome every pause with a roar. In 11 games this season, Avesh has picked up 17 wickets, averaging just 18.35
Criclytics predicts Avesh to pick 1-2 wickets against KKR
Probable XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders: Sheldon Jackson, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer, Sam Billings (wk), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Varun Chakravarthy
Lucknow Supergiants: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Jason Holder, Marcus Stoinis, Dushmantha Chameera, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi
