Our boys are on a mission to bag two points against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in our 11th match of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Eden Gardens on May 8.

Enroute Top Of Table:

We come on the back of a loss against Mumbai Indians (MI) at our home ground, Mohali. On the other hand, the Nitish Rana-led side would look to build on their winning momentum from their last away match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Only two points apart, we are above KKR at the seventh position on the TATA IPL standings. A win against them would help us jump to the first half of the table.

Comprehensive Win In Reverse Fixture:

We have some great memories from our last meeting with the Knight Riders in the ongoing tournament.

Put into bat, Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s 50 off 32 balls and captain Shikhar Dhawan’s 29-ball 40 helped us post 191/5 in our 20 overs. In reply, Arshdeep Singh’s three-wicket haul restricted KKR to 146/7 in 16 overs. Rain played spoilsport as we started the tournament on a high note with a seven-run win (DLS method) in Mohali.

With the marquee event reaching its business end, our boys will aim to complete the double over KKR to stay in contention for the playoffs.

What To Expect:

Eden Gardens has been a batting paradise this season. The average first-innings score is 211, the highest on this ground across all 16 seasons.

Our batters will head into the crucial game brimming with confidence as we are the first team to score 200+ runs in four consecutive matches in the TATA IPL history. We anticipate another run-fest on Monday.

Players To Watch Out For:

Jitesh Sharma:

Wicketkeeper-batter, Jitesh Sharma, is one of our standout players this season. The 29-year-old has scored 239 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 165.97.

In the reverse fixture, Jitesh scored an 11-ball 21 knock laced with two sixes and a four to boost the scoreboard. Having showcased his incredible power-hitting skills, Jitesh will look to continue his brilliant form.

Arshdeep Singh:

Bowling spearhead, Arshdeep Singh, will aim to bounce back after his expensive spell against MI.

The 24-year-old tormented the KKR batters in the previous meeting. He registered figures of 3/19 in three overs to seal victory in our season opener. Having scalped 16 wickets in 10 matches, Arshdeep will look to add more to his tally in this away fixture.

Key Match-ups:

Shikhar Dhawan vs Shardul Thakur:

The intense battle between Shikhar Dhawan and Shardul Thakur could play a significant role in the upcoming match. In 10 TATA IPL innings, our talismanic skipper has amassed 80 runs against Thakur at a strike rate of 150+. Dhawan perished to Thakur on only three occasions. Dhawan will look to attack the KKR pacer on the batting-friendly pitch at Eden Gardens.

Rahul Chahar vs Nitish Rana:

Our talented leg-spinner, Rahul Chahar, has a record of troubling KKR captain Nitish Rana in the TATA IPL. The 23-year-old got the better of Rana twice in three innings while conceding only 25 runs. He may bamboozle the home captain once again.

Sher Squad, stay tuned for another nail-biting encounter in Kolkata.