IPL 2021, Match 5, KKR vs MI: Preview, probable XI, match prediction, live streaming, weather forecast, and pitch report
The Kolkata Knight Riders will take on the Mumbai Indians in the fifth match of the Vivo IPL 2021 on Tuesday, April 13 in Chennai.
The Mumbai Indians lost their opening game to Royal Challengers Bangalore by two wickets. MI made a positive start and at one point were in a position to reach a score in excess of 180. However, Harshal Patel's five-wicket haul halted their momentum as they crumbled to a score of 159/9.
They also had an average outing with the ball, with leg-spinner Rahul Chahar having another poor game. Jasprit Bumrah and debutant Marco Jansen helped pull things back for them and took the game deep. However, AB de Villiers did enough to ensure victory for RCB.
While the Mumbai Indians would have been pleased by the confidence shown by their top order, they'd want them to capitalize on their starts going forward. Kieron Pollard and the Pandya brothers will look to do better with the bat in the upcoming game.
The Knight Riders, in contrast, won their opening game, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by ten runs. After being put in to bat, KKR played with an attacking mindset that would have pleased head coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Eoin Morgan.
Opener Nitish Rana and No. 3 batsman Rahul Tripathi took the attack to the SRH bowlers and made batting look easy on a two-paced Chennai wicket.
Their momentum was halted towards the fag end of the innings, but they managed to get to an above-par total of 187/6 in their 20 overs. Eoin Morgan managed his bowlers well, and some clever bowling from Prasidh Krishna, Pat Cummins, and Shakib Al Hasan meant that SRH were always behind the 8-ball.
Despite their victory, one glaring hole in the KKR side seems to be their death bowling strategy. Andre Russell did a decent job of bowling at the end of the innings, but he isn't a specialist death bowler by any means. This weakness of KKR's could be exploited by teams with more batting depth.
It'll be interesting to see how these two sides fare against each other, considering that they've produced some high-octane clashes in the past.
IPL 2021: KKR vs MI Match Details
Date: April 13, 2021 (Tuesday).
Time: 7:30 PM IST.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Weather Forecast
It should be cloudy and warm in Chennai on the day of the match, while the average temperature will be around 29 degrees celsius. Dew will play a role in the later stages of the game.
Pitch Report
The wicket in Chennai has been decent to bat on, albeit still on the slower side. There hasn't been much turn on offer, but the ball has gripped the surface on some occasions. Any score around 170 should make for an exciting game.
Predicted XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR should stick with the same playing XI that got them the win against SRH. Andre Russell will look to deliver with the bat this game after having done well with the ball against SRH.
Varun Chakravarthy was a bit expensive against SRH and will look to add to his wickets tally this match.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan (C), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Harbhajan Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.
Mumbai Indians
With De Kock undergoing his mandatory seven-day quarantine, Chris Lynn should continue at the top with Rohit Sharma. Marco Jansen has made an impressive debut and should retain his place in the side.
MI could opt to replace Rahul Chahar with Piyush Chawla, although they're known to give their players long ropes.
Mumbai Indians: Chris Lynn, Rohit Sharma (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Marco Jansen, Rahul Chahar/ Piyush Chawla, Trent Boult, and Jasprit Bumrah.
IPL 2021: KKR vs MI Match Prediction
While the two teams had contrasting results in their opening games, it's MI that looks the stronger side on paper. Their batting lineup looks solid, with plenty of players who can take advantage of KKR's lack of specialist death bowlers.
While the confident KKR side are likely to put up a tough fight, expect MI to secure a win in this encounter.
Prediction: Mumbai Indians to win.
IPL 2021: KKR vs MI TV and Live Streaming Details
TV: Star Sports Network.
Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar VIP.