IPL 2024, Match 60: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians Match Preview

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Saturday, May 11. A win for the hosts will assure them a playoffs spot, while the visitors have already been eliminated from the IPL 2024.

Shreyas Iyer-led KKR are in the middle of a dream run. They have won eight games and lost just three out of the 11 they have played. The two-time champions are coming into this clash on the back of three consecutive wins. In their last game, they got the better of Lucknow Super Giants by a comprehensive 98-run margin.

Sunil Narine and Phil Salt have been the star performers for KKR this season. They have been arguably the most dangerous opening pair. The West Indies all-rounder has scored 461 runs from 11 games at an average of 41.91 and a strike rate of 183.67. Meanwhile, Salt has aggregated 429 runs from 11 matches, averaging 42.90 and striking at 183.33. Young Angrish Raghuvanshi started his IPL career with a bang but has had some tough outings in recent games. Rinku Singh has not been in great form, while the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer have blown hot and cold. Andre Russell is striking at 186.79 but is yet to add a half-century to his name after the one he scored in KKR's first match of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

After an insipid start to the season, Varun Chakaravarthy has hit his straps and has accounted for 16 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 21.88. Eight of his 16 wickets have come in the last three games. Meanwhile, Narine and Harshit Rana have bagged 14 wickets apiece at averages of 20.79 and 21.29 respectively. However, the young Indian speedster has played nine games compared to Narine's 11. The veteran spinner has been incredibly economical in a season where most venues have been excellent for batting. His economy rate is a miserly 6.61.

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Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, will be very displeased with how they have performed this season. They were the first team to be eliminated in IPL 2024. Under new captain Hardik Pandya, the five-time champions only managed to win four out of their 12 matches.

Apart from Tilak Varma, no other Mumbai batter has been able to score runs consistently.  The southpaw has scored 384 runs from 12 games at an average of 42.67 and a strike rate of 147.13. Rohit Sharma had a bright start to the season but his performances have tailed off in recent matches. Ishan Kishan has also struggled to do justice to his talent. Suryakumar Yadav has played a few breathtaking knocks and given Mumbai fans something to cheer for. In the last game, he scored a majestic century against Sunrisers Hyderabad and helped MI chase a 174-run target with ease.

Jasprit Bumrah has been the standout bowler for MI this season. In fact, he has been one of the best bowlers in IPL 2024, bagging 18 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 16.50 and a strike rate of 15.94. His economy rate is just 6.21. Gerald Coetzee had a fine start to his maiden IPL season but couldn't continue the good form and eventually lost his place in the side. No other bowler has been able to consistently give Bumrah the support he would have wanted.

KKR defeated MI earlier this month at the Wankhede Stadium by 24 runs in an intriguing encounter. The Knights would love to do the double over Hardik and Co. and book their tickets for the playoffs.

Eden Gardens Pitch Report

Eden Gardens produces some fantastic pitches and the outfield is also lightning quick. Last month, Punjab Kings chased down a 262-run target at this venue to script history. The average first innings total this season is 205. Four out of the six games played have been won by chasing teams. Winning the toss and bowling first could be the better option. Kolkata has experienced rainfall throughout the week but Eden Gardens has great drainage facilities and fans can expect a full 40-over contest.

Check Here: KKR vs MI Dream11 Team Prediction

Probable Playing XI

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):

KKR have played like a well-oiled machine as almost every player has understood and performed their roles commendably. Nitish Rana injured himself in the first game of the season and is still fighting to return to full fitness. He has been practicing in the nets for a few days now. If he is deemed fit, the southpaw could come in place of Raghuvanshi. The rest of the team could remain the same.

Predicted XI: Phil Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

Impact Player - Vaibhav Arora

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Mumbai Indians (MI):

Mumbai can look to give opportunities to some of the players in their squad who didn't get too many opportunities throughout the season. However, they are a team which takes immense pride in their performances, and while rotation could be adopted, cricket enthusiasts will not see them as lacking intensity on the field.

Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj

Impact Player - Nuwan Thushara

KKR vs MI Head-to-Head Record