The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) visit the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, May 14, for the 61st game of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). This will be the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) final home game of the league stage.
When it comes to the playoffs, CSK is aiming to be the first team to formally qualify, while KKR’s chances of finishing in the top four are extremely slim. In addition to winning the upcoming match, Kolkata will also need nearly all of the remaining games to go their way and hope for a favorable result in the ensuing net run rate shootout.
On a typical dry Chennai field that slowed down as the game went on, CSK won their previous match. The MS Dhoni-led team won the rematch against KKR at Eden Gardens as well. CSK won the high-scoring game by 49 runs.
Both teams’ spinners will be the focus of attention, but there is also a small window for run scoring.
Here are the top three players expected to score runs in today’s match between CSK and KKR
1 Devon Conway
Given that batting against the new ball is relatively simpler than against the old ball, the opening batters in the upcoming match in Chennai may prosper.
Devon Conway has also been extremely well-connected at the Chepauk. He has three fifty-plus scores at the venue so far this season, and he could contribute a lot of runs against an ineffective KKR new ball bowling attack.
The New Zealander, who had a fifty in the previous match against KKR, was instrumental in giving CSK the strong foundation they needed to go on and score 235-4, one of the highest totals this year.
With the exception of the early dismissal against the Delhi Capitals (DC), he is also in good form. The left-handed batter is fourth on the Orange Cap list with 468 runs scored in 11 innings.
2 Shivam Dube
How well Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Suyash Sharma perform as a spin trio will determine whether KKR earns two points. From the viewpoint of the home team, Shivam Dube is their best player when facing the tweakers.
The spinners’ momentum has been hampered throughout the season by the left-handed batter, who has also hit the most sixes off them. At Eden Gardens, he scored a 20-ball fifty and had a strong performance against spin.
He is expected to leave the field to bat and make room for a bowler when CSK enter the field despite his finger injury.
3 Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Over the course of the season, the Afghanistan batter has always approached the plate with a positive attitude. The way the opening batters approach their work against the new ball will depend heavily on how well KKR does both with and without the spinners.
After losing to the Men in Yellow in their previous match, KKR will try to right the wrong. When facing Deepak Chahar, Gurbaz will have to take a huge risk, but if he succeeds, it might be worthwhile. The key for the visitors will be their first batter. He has a strike rate of 143.05 and has scored 216 runs in nine innings.
When KKR comes out to bat, the conditions will already be difficult, and CSK has Moeen Ali in their lineup to counter their threat. This will make for a difficult evening for KKR’s middle order, which is heavy on left-handers.
