Published 14:03 IST, March 24th 2019
IPL 2019: 5 things to watch out for when KKR hosts SRH at the Eden Gardens
While both teams will be looking to start their campaign with a win, the hosts KKR will be seeking redemption for their loss in last year's Qualifiers where SRH had knocked them out by handing them a 14 run defeat.
The 12th edition of IPL commenced on Saturday with the defending champions Chennai Super Kings beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by seven wickets chasing a paltry 71 to start their campaign on a winning note.
The cricket fans will be in for a treat on Sunday as there will be two big matches. The first one will feature two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders locking horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens. While both teams will be looking to start their campaign with a win, the hosts KKR will be seeking redemption for their loss in last year's Qualifiers where SRH had knocked them out.
Both the teams are heavyweights when it comes to their bowling department, but are no slouch when it comes to batting. Ahead of this mouthwatering fixture, let's take a look at five factors which will make this fixture a must watch:
David Warner: The destructive Australian opening batsman is back. Warner has been SRH's biggest trump card over the years. He led the Hyderabad franchise to their maiden IPL title - since being renamed into SRH - in 2016. He has won the 'Orange Cap' on two occasions (2015 & 2017). Warner could not feature in the last edition as he was handed a 12 month ban due to his involvement in the infamous ball-tampering scandal last year.
Head-to-head records: KKR have a slight advantage when it comes to overall records between both sides. In the 15 games that they have played, KKR have won nine while the 'Orange Army' have won on six occasions.
Variety of spin options: Both the teams have no dearth in spinners. Given the nature of the Eden Gardens wicket, the spinners are expected to play a crucial role. The hosts have top quality spinners like Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla, KC Cariappa, etc. On the other hand, SRH have the services of Mohammad Nabi, Shakib Al Hasan, Shabaz Nadeem and Rashid Khan.
Addressing the bowling woes: Kolkata will need to address their bowling woes as they have suffered massive setbacks in their bowling department. Just before the tournament started, they lost their two Under-19 World Cup winning pacers Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi to injuries and recently, their overseas bowler Anrich Notje was ruled out as well. The 25-year old South African speedster injured his shoulder during the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Bhuvneshwar enjoys playing against KKR and even the Eden Gardens has been a happy hunting ground for him. He has got the better of 17 KKR batsmen over the years so far. He also has a good record at KKR's fortress. In seven T20I's, Bhuvi has 12 scalps at an average of 17.08.
Updated 18:07 IST, June 24th 2019