KXIP vs KKR, CSK vs RCB IPL 2020 Match Day Live Updates: Desperate CSK Look for a Turnaround

KXIP vs KKR, CSK vs RCB IPL 2020 Match Day Live Updates:  RCB will look at this year as the best chance to give their fans something they've missed for long - the trophy, and along with it, a couple of victories against CSK. Despite losing to Delhi Capitals in the previous match, RCB will take 3 wins in 5 matches, given they lost six in a row at the start of last season.

The pitches across UAE are often slow and friendly to spinners. Both KXIP and KKR will make use of their spin bowlers to make most of it, as the slow conditions tend to work in their favour. Due to the dew factor, most of the teams opt to chase on this pitch. The temperature in Abu Dhabi is expected to be around 37 degrees Celsius. With wind speeds around 21 km/h and humidity likely to be in the 50s range. There are no possibilities of rain, luckily this year’s edition of the IPL hasn’t been interrupted by rain spells so far.

Meanwhile, former KXIP mentor and player Virender Sehwag during a recent interview came down hard on Maxwell for his feat in the game. The former India opener says that it is very hard for him to understand why the Punjab franchise is still backing him.  KXIP had got the better of KKR beating them by 23 runs in a low-scoring encounter in Abu Dhabi – the last time these two teams met in the UAE. KXIP posted 132 for 9 with Sehwag top-scoring for them with 37. KKR kept losing wickets at regular intervals and never got any partnership going in the chase. Sandeep Sharma starred with the ball for KXIP picking the wickets of Manish Pandey, Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav. KKR were bowled out for 109.

Shubman Gill anchored a 184-run successful chase with an unbeaten 65 off 49 deliveries the last time KKR clashed with KXIP in an IPL encounter – on the 3rd of May, 2019 in Mohali. Sam Curran hammered a 24-ball 55 and with cameos from Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran, helped KXIP post a competitive 183 for 6. Chris Lynn (46 off 22 deliveries) gave KKR a flying start. The middle-order chipped in while Gill anchored the chase from the other end to take KKR through to a win by 7 wickets and 2 overs to spare.

Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab have faced each other 25 times in the Indian Premier League so far, with KKR holding a 17-8 head-to-head record over KXIP. Is Number 18 on the cards today for KKR?

In the first match of the double-header Saturday, Kings XI Punjab will cross swords with Kolkata Knight Riders. While KXIP are at the bottom of the points table, KKR is placed right in the middle.

We look at 5 players who could have the maximum impact in the match:

1. SUNIL NARINE (Kolkata Knight Riders): Sunil Narine is the leading wicket-taker for KKR in the IPL with 125 wickets in 114 innings. He is the third most restrictive spinner in the history of the IPL with an economy rate of just 6.74! He has picked 6 four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul in his IPL career. Narine has, however, been completely out of form in IPL 2020, both with the bat and ball. But as they say ‘Form is Temporary, Class is Permanent’!

2. ANDRE RUSSELL (Kolkata Knight Riders): Andre Russell has also looked out of sorts in IPL 2020. He has not yet produced any significant performance with the bat and has aggregated just 50 runs in 4 innings. Russell is the most destructive batsman in the history of the IPL with a strike rate of 184.01 - the highest in the tournament’s history! He has the record of the maximum number (15) of 200-plus strike rate innings (min. runs 30) for KKR.

3. KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab): The KXIP skipper started the tournament with a bang but has mellowed down into playing the role of an accumulator. He needs to go back to his destructive ways as that is when he is at his dangerous best for Kings XI. Rahul still remains the highest run-getter of IPL 2020 with 313 runs in 6 matches striking at a rate of 136.68, including one hundred and two fifties.

4. Mayank Agarwal (Kings XI Punjab): Mayank Agarwal, like Rahul, made a big statement in the early matches for KXIP but since then has not been able to convert his starts into meaningful scores. He would be looking for a big one soon.

5. Glenn Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab): Glenn Maxwell is having a poor tournament with the bat. He has only managed to muster 48 runs in 6 matches at a rate of 85.71. The Australian is regarded as one of the most destructive batsmen in international cricket. His overall strike rate of 156.55 is amongst the best in IPL history!

KKR have done very well in the last few matches. Barring the loss against the mighty Delhi Capitals, they have really impressed in the last four matches. Their win over CSK in the last match was quite special, the way they managed to defend their total of 167.  Meanwhile, there is not much to lose for Kings XI Punjab when they challenge Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 24 of the ongoing IPL 2020. They have already lost five out of six matches and are firmly fixed at the bottom of the leaderboard. Nothing seems to be going their way. The first two losses were very close, one in the Super Over against Delhi and the other where they lost despite putting up a total of 223. But since then, the margin of losses has only widened. In their last match, they were bowled out at 132 in the 17th over while chasing a target of 202 against SRH

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 24 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in Abu Dhabi on the 10th of October. KXIP are at the bottom of the points table with just one win from 6 matches. KKR have won 3 and lost 2 of their 5 matches.

We look at some key match-ups which could define the outcome of the match:

Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) vs Glenn Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab)

This could be a fascinating battle in the middle overs. Two world-class but out of form adversaries up against one other. Sunil Narine is the leading wicket-taker for KKR in the IPL with 125 wickets in 114 innings. He is the third most restrictive spinner in the history of the IPL with an economy rate of just 6.74! But Narine is terribly out of form.

Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders) vs Mohammed Shami (Kings XI Punjab)

Andre Russell is the most destructive batsman ever in the IPL with a strike rate of 184.01 which is the best in the tournament’s history. He has been out of form in this competition and thus would be raring to go and make amends.

To counter him at the death would be the best bowler for KXIP in IPL 2020, Mohammed Shami. The Indian speedster has picked 9 wickets in 6 matches at a strike rate of 15.1 and economy rate of 8.51.

KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab) vs Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders)

KL Rahul is the leading run-getter of IPL 2020 with 313 runs in 6 matches at a strike rate of just under 137. He has already recorded one hundred and two fifties in the tournament. He would be looking for a flying start in the power-play.

But it will not be easy against the Australian pacer, Pat Cummins. Regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in the world, Cummins hasn’t had the best outing so far in this year’s IPL and he has just picked 2 wickets in 5 matches at an economy rate of 8.61. He would be looking to make an impact in the second half of the tournament.

Will Cummins be able to keep Rahul in check?

Preview: KXIP need some inspiration. They showed a lot of promise at the beginning of the tournament but have now lost 4 matches on the trot. They are at the bottom of the points table with just one win from 6 matches.

KKR have had a mixed bag so far in IPL 2020 – they have won 3 and lost 2 of their 5 matches.

Kings XI Punjab

Mayank Agarwal has had a quiet three matches after starting the tournament with a bang. He is getting starts but is not able to convert them into the big match-winning scores. KL Rahul has suddenly decided to play the role of the accumulator and anchor – visible from his approach and drop in strike rate. This is turning out to be counter-productive for KXIP for Rahul was at his best when he was destructive – as he showed against RCB with his unbeaten 132 off just 69 deliveries. Nicholas Pooran gave a glimpse of his class against SRH. Glenn Maxwell needs to fire in the middle order. He has been poor in IPL 2020 scoring just 48 runs in 6 matches at a strike rate of 85.71.

Mohammed Shami continues to lead the KXIP attack and is their leading wicket-taker with 9 wickets.

Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR need a collective effort from their top and middle order if they are to make it to the playoffs this year. Andre Russell – the most destructive batsman in IPL history, who was in devastating form in IPL 2019, has been completely out of sync in this edition. He has just scored 50 runs in 4 innings at a rate of 135.13 thus far. Skipper, Dinesh Karthik has also failed to yet produce a significant performance and has a strike rate of just 102.08 in the tournament. Another huge disappointment has been the form of Sunil Narine – he has just aggregated 44 runs in 5 innings with a highest score of 17 and strike rate of 110. Just for perspective, Pat Cummins has scored more runs in IPL 2020 than Russell, Karthik and Narine.

Narine – the bowler – has also been a patch of himself. He has just picked 3 wickets in 5 matches and also gone at 8.33 per over.

WHAT: IPL 2020, Match 24

WHEN: October 10, 3:30PM IST

WHERE: Abu Dhabi

TELECAST: Star Sports Network

LIVE STREAMING: Disney + Hotstar

Predicted XI

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik (c & wk), Pat Cummins, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Kamlesh Nagarkoti

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) - KL Rahul (c), Mayank Agarwal, Mandeep Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Sheldon Cottrell, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Ravi Bishnoi