IPL 2018, KKR vs SRH: Player battles to watch out for ahead of Qualifier 2 clash
Ahead of the all-important knockout game, we look at the key player battles the match could witness.
Kolkata: A place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final will be at stake when Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Qualifier 2 here on Friday.
The winner will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Mumbai on Sunday. CSK scripted a classic comeback as they beat SRH in the first Qualifier to seal a spot in the final.
There will be a lot of players to watch out for, including some stars like Sunil Narine (KKR) and Rashid Khan (SRH), who have enjoyed good seasons with their teams.
Ahead of the all-important knockout game, we look at the key player battles the match could witness.
Sunil Narine vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
While Sunil Narine has transformed as an opener in this year’s IPL, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has had a good tournament so far despite recent struggles.
On his day, Narine could be an all-round star with both the bat and ball. He has already got to his highest score in an IPL season, aggregating 331 runs from 15 matches, his best season in the IPL so far. With 16 wickets to his name, the West Indian mystery spinner could be the go-to man for KKR.
Chris Lynn vs Shakib Al Hasan
If Chris Lynn has been known for playing big innings, then Shakib Al Hasan is known for providing breakthroughs with crucial wickets. While the Aussie has 443 runs to his name from 15 matches, the Bangladeshi all-rounder has scalped 13 wickets from 15 matches.
While Chrs Lynn will need to play an important role in KKR’s setup, Shakib’s role will be no different, as there will be a lot of expectations from the fans for him to perform.
Kane Williamson vs Dinesh Karthik
The captains of both SRH and KKR have had a successful tournament so far, come what may whatever the result of the match will be. While Kane Williamson has played a role putting up big scores, Dinesh Karthik has more often played the role of a finisher in this season.
Williamson is currently the leading run-scorer in the IPL this year (685 runs), which includes as many as eight fifties.
Without any doubt, the priority when SRH comes out to bat will be for the KKR bowlers to see off SRH’s top-order, which consists the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Williamson and Manish Pandey.