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IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants Predictions
Match 66 between Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders is going to be last match of both teams in the group stage.
This makes this match very crucial for both teams regarding their chances for qualifying to the play-off stage.
DY Patil Stadium will be filled with a lot of action and thrill this Wednesday as the final round of group matches is about to begin and nerves will be racking up in every corner of the ground.
Lucknow have lost steam
Lucknow, who started their debut tournament in flying colours and announced their arrival at IPL with some thumping early wins is not as efficient in the pressures matches at this stage.
They do have the points but even a win in their last group match will not guarantee their place in the top two.
Lucknow will also be slightly dependant on other results to go into their favour if they want to finish second at the table.
Kolkata bounce back
Kolkata on the other hand have made quite a comeback given their dismal performance early on in the tournament.
They must need to final their last group game and would also be looking at other results to go their way if they are to make to the final four teams.
Team analysis
Lucknow’s chief whip in the entire tournament has been their opening pair of De Kock and KL Rahul.
The pair has the average of 32 in this season, best for any team in IPL 2022.
However, onwards from No.3 is where their worries emerge.
While their opening pair has been in supreme touch, their middle order has been quite disappointed lately.
Failing to chase two targets in their last couple of matches shows how much frail it is and going ahead in the knockout session, this problem needs to be sorted out for Lucknow.
On the other hand, Kolkata have done quite the opposite.
They have tried 5 opening pairs in this season so far and not a very good turn around as they would have expected.
With Ajinkya Rahane out of the tournament, they will once again need to shuffle at the top.
Kolkata will look to their fast bowlers Umesh Yadav and Tim Souhtee to exploit LSG’s middle order as both these faster have one of the best economical rate of 6.9 and 7 respectively in this season.
Match details
Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
Date: 18th May 2022
Time: 7:30 pm IST
Head to head past record:
In their only encounter earlier in this year’s IPL, Lucknow have beaten Kolkata and hold the record at 1-0.
Probable Playing 11 – Lucknow Super Giants:
Quinton de Kock (wk), KL Rahul (capt), Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, Jason Holder, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Dushmantha Chameera
Probable Playing 11 – Kolkata Knight Riders:
B Indrajith, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nitish Rana, Sam Billings (wk), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Varun Chakravarthy
Star bowler of the match:
Umesh Yadav
Star batsman of the match:
Quinton De Kock
Who will win?
As both teams play their last group game, tensions and emotions will be high going into the match.
A win here will secure Lucknow’s place in the top 4 whereas if Kolkata manage to sneak another victory here, things will get more spiced up for the run up to final 4.
As for the prediction, not easy to rule out any team at this stage but Kolkata might sneak another win here.
Stay tuned for more!