IPL 2019 – Match 2: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Predicted Playing XI

The battle between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad will revive in the twelfth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The game would be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The runners-up of the last season, SRH, have got one of the most balanced sides in the tournament. Heading into this edition of the tournament, it seems like they’ve got all their bases covered.

They have stocked their middle-order with some exciting batsmen. They no more seem to be overreliant on one or two players to do the job for them with the bat. Moreover, David Warner is also back in the mix and will bolster the side. The bowling department, as usual, is top-notch and the team will hope to go the distance in this time around.

Here is the Predicted Playing XI for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):

Openers (David Warner, Kane Williamson (C))

David Warner’s ban period has almost come to an end. The former Australian vice-captain will look to prove his form and fitness in the league as he just recovered from an elbow injury. He has looked good in whatever cricket he played in the last few days. The left-hander smashed a brilliant century in the NSW Premier Cricket. In the two practice games that SRH played, Warner scored 65 off 43 balls and 25 off 25 balls. He will look forward to getting the Orange Cap back on his head.

Warner is likely to be partnered by Kane Williamson to open the innings. It has been confirmed that the Kiwi cricketer will lead the side. Williamson has been hitting the ball and is due for a big score in white-ball cricket. The right-hander will surely eye at scoring big at the Eden Gardens where the track is suitable for his style of batting.

Middle Order (Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha (wk))

The Sunrisers have got a few highly talented players in their middle-order and all of them are flexible with their batting positions. For the starters, it could be Manish Pandey batting at three. The Karnataka batsman had a disastrous IPL 2018. But the franchise kept faith in him and Manish has fared really well in domestic cricket in the last 8-9 months. He will be playing at his former home ground and it is time for him to repay the belief.

Vijay Shankar is one of the terrific acquisitions for SRH this year. They traded him and two other players for Shikhar Dhawan. Shankar has been hitting the ball really sweet. He will get to bat higher up the order for the SRH and that gives him the time to settle in. He scored an unbeaten 66 off 34 in the second practice game of the team. Even though he can bowl, his services might not be required much.

Of the three wicket-keepers SRH has got in its squad, Wriddhiman Saha seems to fit into the combinations the best. He is an Indian player and has the experience of batting in the lower middle order. He is likely to bat at number seven but can be promoted up depending on the situation of the game.

All Rounders (Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Rashid Khan)

The Sunrisers have got some impactful players in their all-rounder department. Shakib Al Hasan is capable of opening the bowling and gives the team four economical overs. He knows the Kolkata pitch really well and will play a big part in the match. The Bangladeshi will either bat at five or six and is expected to score some quick runs.

Ask any SRH fan and they’d express sheer delight with the way Yusuf Pathan has been going. The batting all-rounder was smashing the ball all around in park during the practice games as well as the nets sessions. If he can take this form forward into the actual matches, SRH would be a massive force to reckon with. Yusuf played numerous seasons for KKR and is no new to the Eden Gardens.

If SRH managed to win the Qualifier-2 of IPL 2018, it was due to Rashid Khan who had a massive contribution in the victory. The Afghan cricketer scored 34 runs off 10 balls in that match and even picked up three wickets. He will be looking forward to repeating the same kind of heroics when he takes the field on Sunday.

Bowlers (Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed)

With Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul in there, SRH has got two of the best death bowlers in its eleven. They are hard to get away and can nail the yorkers and slower balls. Bhuvi should enjoy bowling in Kolkata where there will be some swing on offer early on. This duo is expected to bowl the last four overs of the match.

Khaleel Ahmed, after conceding 38 runs in 3 overs in the only game he played last season, has matured and evolved a lot. He understands his game better now and also represented India in a few games. He was good in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and could get a nod ahead of right-arm speedster Sandeep Sharma.

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