IPL 2019, Match 17, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders : Why KKR will win the match
The Kolkata Knight Riders will take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore away from home at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on 5th April. Both the sides are on opposite ends of the table. While KKR are in a good position having won 2 out of their 3 games, RCB have lost 4 out of 4 matches. The team is in a real spot of bother and have to win most of their games starting now.
RCB have a lot to consider ahead of this match and they have to pick the right playing XI in order to succeed. KKR will most likely have star all-rounder Sunil Narine return from injury and join his partner Chris Lynn to form a formidable opening pair.
With both teams pretty equal in strength, it will be a question of form and determination and here are 3 reasons why KKR will win the match.
#3 Sunil Narine's return to the team
KKR have always had a good opening pair and with the change of strategy and sending Sunil Narine to open, the team managed to get the most out of him while ensuring that the team always got a brisk start. Narine especially loved playing against RCB and has scored two IPL 50s in under 20 balls against the team.
Also, given the form in which RCB's bowling is, if Narine gets going and smashes the bowlers, KKR can dominate the bowlers throughout the innings and. This will give them both a psychological and destructive edge which might disrupt Virat Kohli's plans.
#2 KKR have a settled team combination
KKR have the least squad size in the entire league and have a well-settled, strong playing XI and with Narine coming back into the side, KKR will be a formidable opponent for the downtrodden RCB to face.
RCB have to deal with a lot of options and have to juggle with them and get the right team combination to field against KKR. This instability in RCB's selection process and KKR's strength in that area will be crucial for the outcome and KKR come out on top.
#1 KKR's in-form finishers and RCB's poor death bowling
KKR have had the benefit of Andre Russell in brilliant form this season. The Caribbean has swung the game in his team's favor in every match the side has played this season. Russell has torn apart some of the best bowling sides in the league and with RCB up next, another storm appears to be coming. KKR's finishers - skipper Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, and Russell can take advantage of RCB's inexperienced and weak death bowling and pile on the runs against the side.
The RCB bowling attack has been pretty poor so far and if KKR can get past the threat of Yuzvendra Chahal, it'll be easy going for them. The pressure of chasing has been getting to the RCB batsmen hence KKR should bat first against them.
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