KKR set sights on top four, Sunrisers eye top-two finish

Sunday, May 22, 2016
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)

Kolkata Knight Riders' flop show on a green track at Green Park has hurt their chances of a top-two finish. Nonetheless, they will make the playoffs if they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have already qualified along with Gujarat Lions.

Knight Riders could sneak in with the 14 points they currently have, but that will depend on Royal Challengers Bangalore beating Delhi Daredevils - while Knight Riders' net run rate (NRR) is significantly higher than Mumbai's and Daredevils', Royal Challengers are far ahead on NRR meaning a tie on 14 points with them will not end well for Knight Riders.

Also, heavy rain has been forecast in Kolkata because of cyclone Roanu. Rain has not been kind to Knight Riders in the past, but this time a washout would guarantee them a spot in the final four.

Knight Riders have had to contend with injury issues as well. Allrounder Andre Russell's leg injury has punched a big hole in all departments and doubts persist over his participation in Sunday's key clash. On the bright side, fast bowler Umesh Yadav who missed the side's last three games because of a hamstring injury is available for selection again.

Sunrisers have a chance to secure a top-two finish and therefore have two shots at a place in the IPL final, despite their last-ball loss to Delhi Daredevils. They simply need to beat the hosts at Eden Gardens. If they don't, they would hope Royal Challengers lose the final league game, and Sunday's results are such that their net run-rate stays above Daredevils and Knight Riders'. A washout will put them in the top two.

Kolkata Knight Riders LLWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad LWLWW

A common denominator in the two teams' previous defeats was the lapses of their captains.

Gautam Gambhir was involved in another miscommunication with Robin Uthappa in the game against Gujarat Lions, and was run out for the 21st time - the most such dismissals for any batsman in T20s. Gambhir's tactics' also backfired that day. Legspinner Piyush Chawla, who was promoted to No. 4, plodded to 11 off 16 balls and later did not bowl in the chase. Shakib Al Hasan did not bowl either.

David Warner shaped Sunrisers' 158 against Delhi Daredevils with 73 - his seventh half-century of the season - but dropped Karun Nair, who proceeded to deliver a Man-of-the-Match performance, on 51. He then dived over the ball at mid-on as Nair swatted a last-ball four to keep his team alive.

Knight Riders may consider including allrounder Colin Munro or big-hitting Chris Lynn in place of Holder, if Russell is not fit.

Kolkata Knight Riders (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Robin Uthappa (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Jason Holder/Colin Munro/Chris Lynn, 8 Piyush Chawla, Morne Morkel, 10 Sunil Narine, 11 Ankit Rajpoot/Umesh Yadav

Sunrisers haven't tinkered much with their combination, although they are sweating on Deepak Hooda's form. He has played in each of the side's 13 games so far with a meagre tally of 114 runs in 11 innings, including six single-digit scores. They will probably stick with the same XI though.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Yuvraj Singh, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Moises Henriques, 6 Eoin Morgan, 7 Naman Ojha(wk), 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Karn Sharma, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Barinder Sran

Considering the rain threat, the toss is likely to be crucial. The Eden Gardens' surface had offered substantial turn to the spinners in the last two games.