Follow UsKolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 8 of IPL 2022. KKR lost their previous match but fought hard in a low-scoring thriller. That fighting spirit will help them against PBKS which looks like one of the most intimidating sides of the tournament. KKR will also take confidence from their excellent record against PBKS.
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall 29 | PBKS - 10 Wins | KKR - 19 Wins
Team Combination and Ground Details
Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium is a comparatively batting-friendly venue, with the average first innings score being 163.
The ball swings audaciously during the powerplay but once that phase is seen off, it is the batsmen’s time under the sun irrespective of what time is it in the day. Pacers have bowled 65.7% of the deliveries and have managed 984 wickets out of the 1424 wickets that fell. That is a staggering 69.1% dominance. With 3.8 wickets per innings, pacers have accentuated the performance on their own but it remains to be a batter’s paradise.
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 Suggestion
With 45 wickets, Kagiso Rabada is the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL since 2020. He is a bonafide and is set to make his debut for Punjab after completing his quarantine. What really works in his favor as a captaincy suggestion is his record in the death overs. Wickets just come his way. 2020 onwards, Rabada has 26 wickets at the death, the highest in IPL alongside Jasprit Bumrah.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Rabada to pick 2-3 wickets in this match
X-Factor
Umesh Yadav has been an X-factor for KKR and he can do the same role for your fantasy XI as well. He likes picking wickets upfront and the conditions in Mumbai have aided swing bowling. Hence, Yadav has four wickets in his six powerplay overs in IPL 2022 thus far. He will be eager for more. It won’t be easy against an opening duo of Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal but if Yadav finds one, he always pick a few more.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Rabada to pick 2-3 wickets in this match
Here are the top-10 picks as per Criclytics projected points-
Match-Ups
Leg spin has been the only bowling form to trouble Shreyas Iyer in IPL. 2019 onwards, he averages only 19.8 facing right-arm wrist spinners. Rahul Chahar has accounted for two of his 12 dismissals against leg-spin. Iyer averages only 3.5 versus Chahar which underlines the battle to watch out for.
Probable XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders
Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Sam Billings, Andre Russell/ Chamika Karunaratne, Sheldon Jackson (wk), Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
Punjab Kings
Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (wk), Liam Livingstone, Raj Bawa, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Date & Time: Apr 1, 07:30 PM IST