The resurgent Kings XI Punjab take on the Sun Risers Hyderabad in the 2nd match of the evening and will be a must-win game for both teams. KL Rahul had a rare failure last game with the bat, but he is still the orange cap holder by a fair distance. David Warner is the leading run-getter for SRH but has scored only 2 fifties so far.
KXIP has the momentum behind them, having won 3 matches on the bounce and what is more heartening is that their victories were against the top-3 teams in the points table. KXIP, despite Shikhar Dhawan scoring a century, restricted DC to a mediocre 164 runs by keeping things tight thanks to a brilliant spell from Shami. Chasing, 165, a Nicholas Pooran special (53 from 28) and responsible knock from Glenn Maxwell sealed the deal for the Kings. KXIP will be happy they could win even without their top run-getters Rahul and Agarwal, not scoring runs.
SRH posted a comfortable victory by 8 wickets thanks to a monumental unbeaten 140 run partnership between Vijay Shankar and Manish Pandey. This comes after a rare failure of Warner & Bairstow, who both perished to Archer, and the score was 16-2 when the Indian duo joined forces. SRH will be happy because their middle-order is finally firing and the bowlers who restricted RR to a below-par 154. Jason Holder was the pick of the bowlers taking 3fer playing his first match of this IPL.
Key players from both sides
Batsman – Jonny Bairstow, David Warner, KL Rahul, and Chris Gayle.
The SRH openers have produced some flashes of brilliance a few times but got out cheaply on many other occasions. This was one of the reasons for the team’s inconsistent performance this year and being one of the most successful opening pairs in IPL, they would like to score big sooner rather than later. KL Rahul missed out last game and his form is anything to go by, he will come back stronger this game. The universe boss Chris Gayle played a crucial role in all of the Kings XI’s last 3 wins and is the unsung hero for them since his return to the playing XI.
All Rounder- Vijay Shankar, Jason Holder, Glenn Maxwell, and Deepak Hooda.
Vijay Shankar finally showcased his true potential with a match-winning performance with the bat after bowling splendidly with the ball. Jason Holder who was signed by SRH as a replacement player for Marsh played his first match for SRH and was the pick of the bowlers for them taking a 3 wicket haul. Glenn Maxwell finally played a significant knock last game anchoring KXIP to a win over DC. He has been under pressure for not having performed as we know him and this might give him the confidence to turn things around. Deepak Hooda played a small yet useful cameo in each of the last 2 Punjab’s wins and his presence makes the middle-order a lot more flexible.
Bowlers – Rashid Khan, T Natarajan, Mohammad Shami, and Akshdeep Singh.
Rashid Khan is the highest wicket-taker of SRH so far with 12 scalps and has the lowest ER for anyone who has featured in 10 matches this season. Going forward, he is a major weapon for SRH to not only slow the flow of runs but also will be a genuine wicket-taker. Natarajan was expensive last game but SRH will hope he will be back to his best, bowling toe-crushing yorkers. Shami is looking a completely different bowler altogether ever since his brilliant performance in the super-over. He along with the youngster Akshdeep Singh has bowled well both in powerplays as well in death overs.
Battles to look forward
- Mohammad Shami vs David Warner
- Rashid Khan vs Chris Gayle
- Jason Holder vs KL Rahul
Jason Holder is a world-class all-rounder and a great exponent with a new ball. He was in a great rhythm last game and may trouble the KXIP openers especially KL Rahul who has been in amazing form in this tournament. Chris Gayle changed the match on its head last game with a blistering knock which helped in relieving the pressure of the other batsman. If he attacks Rashid Khan or not, we have to wait and watch. Shami has been brilliant with the new ball and KXIP will hope he picks Warner early in the piece.
Head to Head between KXIP and SRH.
- Matches Played: 15
- KXIP Won: 4
- SRH won: 11
Match conditions
Venue: Dubai international cricket stadium, Dubai.
Date & Timings: October 24, 2020, at 7.30 PM IST.
Weather: Clear with the temperature around 31 C.
Pitch: Likely to be a slow surface with possible due later on.
