There is one match in the Indian Premier League on Thursday and it could well shape the route of the qualifying match in the playoffs. Gujarat Lions take on the Kolkata Knight Riders in a match where the winners will be in pole position to finish in the top two while the losers could miss out on the playoffs altogether so this is a huge clash.
Gujarat Lions
The Lions flew out of the blocks this season but an injury to Aaron Finch has messed about a bit with their balance and since then they have lost four of their last five including that absolute battering they took in Bangalore at the weekend.
They will have needed to bounce back from that because their run rate took such a caning that they can’t rely on net run rate any longer. The only way they can guarantee being in the playoffs is by winning both their matches.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Like the Lions, Kolkata go into this match off the back of a defeat to the Royal Challengers Bangalore and they will be looking to bounce back from that here. Kolkata still have their destiny in their own hands and their run rate is such that one more win should be enough.
One positive from the defeat to Bangalore was the return to form of Manish Pandey and the Knight Riders will hope he can continue to make a big impact. It remains to be seen whether Kolkata’s spinners can get any assistance from this run friendly wicket.
Team news
Suresh Raina missed the match in Bangalore at the weekend but he is back in the country and will come back and lead the side. Unless they want to better balance the side in the aftermath of that battering I would imagine that will be the only change.
Kolkata suffered a blow in the last game when Andre Russell suffered an injury which will keep him out of this match. He is their leading bowler and one of their most important batsmen down the order. Jason Holder will try and be a like for like replacement.
Form
Gujarat Lions: WWWLWWWLLLWL
Kolkata Knight Riders: WLWWWLLWWLWL
Head to head: Gujarat Lions 1-0 Kolkata Knight Riders
In Kanpur: First meeting
Green Park
This is the first ever T20 match on this ground so it would make sense for everyone concerned with the venue to want to kick things off with a bang and maybe secure some more big matches in the future so I’m expecting something of a batting paradise here.
There was an ODI on this ground last year when South Africa rattled up over 300 and despite Rohit Sharma’s 150, India fell five runs short and that would back up the feeling that this is a good place to bat.
Betting
With the news about Andre Russell circulating the wires Gujarat are shortening by the minute but I’m not sure I can rush in to back a side at odds on after they just took the mother of all canings albeit at the hands of two special players.
Although missing Andre Russell isn’t good I’m not sure his replacement will be that much of a down turn that this heavy shortening of Gujarat is justified especially given their form. This injury does put me off backing Kolkata though.
Instead I’m going to go with the sixes here where despite Russell’s injury we still have plenty of power batsmen on show and importantly we have plenty of left handers so the leg side will always be accessible.
Smith, McCullum, Raina, Finch, Bravo, Uthappa, Shakib and Yusuf can all clear most ropes in the world and when you combine that power with the fact both attacks conceded over 180 last time out the potential for sixes is quite high.
Kolkata were 24-4 at Eden Gardens when these two met earlier in the season and yet the match still had a dozen sixes. On a smaller ground with a better batting wicket we should get just as many here if not a few more.
Tips
Back 12 or more sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Bet365
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