IPL 2022, KKR vs MI, Match Prediction: Can Kolkata pile more misery over winless Mumbai?
Match 14 of IPL 2022 will be played on Wednesday between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians. KKR will be looking to pile more misery on a winless MI. Here's the preview and match prediction.
FollowIt is a thriller, as former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) takes to record five-time former champion Mumbai Indians in Match 14 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. It will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday. Both teams seem to need a win, as we present the match preview and predict the winner.
Current form
KKR has played three matches, winning a couple and losing one, while MI has played two, losing both. KKR's last game turned out to be against Punjab Kings (PBKS), which it won by six wickets. Therefore, the acceleration is clearly with the Knights.
Teams strengths-weaknesses and players to watch
KKR's is entirely balanced. It is relatively heavy in batting, as it possesses quite some superstars. Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Aaron Finch, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Mohammad Nabi, Sam Billings, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Pat Cummins will be looking to nail it.
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As for MI, it is moderately heavy in its bowling, which is undoubtedly its strength. Although it hardly has any weaknesses, it needs a win to gain velocity. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer are looking to come out on top.
Injury concerns and head-to-head
While there are no injury concerns for any, KKR is still awaiting the availability of its Australian players. In 29 encounters, MI has a massive lead of 22-7, while in 23 meetings in India, MI leads 18-5. It would be their first-ever clash in Pune.
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Weather and pitch report
The weather in Pune will be hot, with the temperature expected to be around 23-40 degrees, along with 31% humidity. As for the pitch, it will be slightly slow, while the dew is expected to be a factor, forcing the teams to prefer chasing.
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Probable XI
KKR: Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Sam Billings, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Sheldon Jackson (wk), Umesh Yadav, Pat Cummins, Tim Southee and Varun Chakravarthy.
MI: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Anmolpreet Singh, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Daniel Sams, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills and Basil Thampi/Jaydev Unadkat.
Fantasy XI
Batters: Rahane, Iyer, Varma - Rahane will give a decent start, while Iyer will fire at number three, whereas Varma will consolidate in the middle.
Wicketkeepers: Billings, Kishan (c) - Both men are in great form, while Kishan's consistency makes him the skipper.
All-rounders: Narine, Russell (vc) - Narine has been impactful with his spins, while Russell is a must-have, considering he can impact all around, especially with the bat, while his reliability makes him Kishan's deputy.
Bowlers: Southee, Umesh, Bumrah, Mills - All the four pacers have been deadly of late and cannot be missed out on.
Match details
Date and day: April 6, 2022 (Wednesday)
Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (also available in HD and other regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar
Prediction: KKR wins; toss to play a vital role
