IPL 2020
Will the Royals hitting continue to shoot out of Sharjah’s comforts? © BCCI
Acclimatization has been the name of the game in the Indian Premier League so far, with teams unable to master the conditions. Although most teams have won the games by hitting first, the captains continue to choose otherwise after winning the toss. Dew is one factor and slow wicket in the second inning another, but teams hitting first have had a 100% record in Dubai so far.
This is the first time this season that both the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals will play here, having played only in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah respectively so far. The challenge will be steeper for Rajasthan, as their two games have been on very small limits terrain in comparison, and the key for them will be to adapt to the bigger ones Dubai and Abu Dhabi will offer where most of their games will be. will be played in the future.
Two, two wins in two games, going from 200 each time, will have kept morale high in the Rajasthan camp. But it will all come down to adapting to the conditions in Dubai. The ball has not moved as much as the teams would have liked, and spinners will come into play much more than in Sharjah.
Kolkata Knight Riders, meanwhile, bounced back well against Sunrisers Hyderabad after the slow start against Mumbai Indians. While the hitters did well with Shubman Gill leading the way at the top, Eoin Morgan stood tall as the finisher. Against the SRH, they also used up to eight bowlers with enough variety at their disposal. However, they will be concerned about the form of Kuldeep Yadav.
Rajasthan has its own concerns. Jaydev Unadkat, who has not returned a wicket so far this season, did not complete his quota of four against Punjab. Jos Buttler, who only returned the last game for them, has had a series of low scores even entering the tournament. Rajasthan also knocked out starter Yashasvi Jaiswal right after the only game. While that may have seemed tough, they are getting close to their ideal tournament lineup, if this setup fits. How they fare on bigger ground in their first game outside of Sharjah will dictate many of their plans going forward.
When:Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Match 12, IPL 2020, September 30, Wednesday at 7:30 PM IST
Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
What to expect: Both Super Overs this season have been in Dubai, so while chasing the grand totals is possible, hitting the right mix of bowling is also important. Spinners will come into play much more on the surface.
Team news:
Royals of Rajasthan:The Royals are unlikely to tweak a combination that works for them. Although Jos Buttler is struggling to get going, Steve Smith has been a starter for two half centuries and is likely to continue there. They might want to give Robin Uthappa some time to build in the middle, promoting him up the order. Rajpoot’s return in death against KXIP will keep him in his place. However, they will have to be wary of the three left-handers in the top five of KKR and not have a scion to point them.
Likely XI: Steven Smith (c), Jos Buttler (week), Sanju Samson, Robin Uthappa, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Ankit Rajpoot, Jaydev Unadkat
Horsemen of the Kolkata Knights:Varun Chakravarthy and Nagarkoti impressed, and while they have extensive bowling options, Kuldeep’s shape will be cause for concern. That said, he’s unlikely to be shut out in just two games thus far, given his nature of backing his players.
Likely XI: Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (c & wk), Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Kamlesh Nagarkoti
Did you know
– KKR and Rajasthan Royals are tied 10-10 in H2H matchups. They have also played two Super Overs
– Pat Cummins is two less than 100 T20I windows away
What they say:
“When you play against different opponents in different places, you have to change your plans accordingly. Tomorrow we will play in Dubai, where there are bigger pitches, so you have to change the game plans accordingly. We have very smart guys in managing our team and we’re ready for the next game “- Sanju samson
“They have a very experienced side. The challenge for us is to focus on our game. If we can improve from the last game, that will allow us to strategize against Smith, Buttler and Samson to try to make progress. Honesty The answer is that they are good players. and if they hit 20 overs, you will probably lose the game. In particular, Buttler and Samson. They have had good success, but at the moment they are not with Ben Stokes. Hopefully we can build the last match and get our first win in Dubai. ” . – Eoin Morgan
© Cricbuzz
