HYDERABAD VS. KOLKATA: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 3 | PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In match three of the Indian T20 League 2021, 2016 champions Hyderabad take on 2-time winners Kolkata at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.
Hyderabad made it to the playoffs last season but exited the tournament after losing the second qualifier. Although they were not able to go all the way, it will bring some confidence to the team. Most of the players have been retained, which means they have an excellent top order and a great bowling attack but a fragile middle order. Skipper Warner, Bairstow, K Williamson and R Khan are the expected overseas players while the bowling unit features the likes of Bhuvneshwar and T Natarajan.
Kolkata fell short of making it to the playoffs last year due to net run rate and struggled with the balance of the team. Morgan will lead the franchise as the full-time skipper after being handed over the reins mid-season last year. N Rana, S Gill and R Tripathi need to be in good form and set the platform for power-hitters like Russell and co. The signings of Shakib and Harbhajan will bring much-needed depth to the team. P Cummins will be the leader of the pace attack, which comprises P Krishna, S Mavi and K Nagarkoti.
Kolkata has enjoyed success against Hyderabad in the last two seasons, winning 3 out of the 4 games played, but it might not be the case this time, given Hyderabad’s strong bowling attack. Either way, expect a cracking game as both teams start their 2021 campaigns on Sunday.
Match Details
- Match: Hyderabad vs. Kolkata, Match 3
- Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Date & Time: Apr. 11, 2021, at 7:30 PM IST
Statistics
- Head-to-Head Record: Hyderabad (7) - Kolkata (12)
- Last 5 Games Record: Hyderabad (2) - Kolkata (3)
- Average 1st Innings Score (Last 5 Games): 160 runs
- Chasing Record (Last 5 Games): Won 2, Lost 3
Probable Playing XI
Hyderabad
D Warner (C), J Bairstow (WK), M Pandey, K Williamson, P Garg, V Shankar, A Samad, R Khan, B Kumar, T Natarajan, S Sharma
Kolkata
S Gill, R Tripathi, N Rana, Shakib al Hasan, E Morgan (C), A Russell, D Karthik (WK), P Cummins, K Nagarkoti, P Krishna, V Chakravarthy
Weather and Pitch Report
Chennai is expected to have clear weather during the match. The temperature will be around 29 degrees during the game.
As seen in the first match, the pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium is not the usual spin-friendly one. The new ball will come onto the bat nicely and the batsmen will be happy to make the most of it. The pitch is expected to slow down as the match progresses, giving more assistance to the spin bowlers.
The captain that wins the toss should look to bat first here as it becomes difficult to chase here in the second innings. A first-innings score of around 170 runs should be a competitive one.
Top Fantasy Picks
- D Warner has been instrumental for Hyderabad, crossing the 500-run mark every season since 2014. Last year, he made 548 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 134. He has been in a fairly decent form, having scored a century and an 80 in the last four domestic List A matches.
- J Bairstow was in great form in the recently-concluded ODI series against India. Although he struggled with consistency in the T20I series, he made up for it in the ODIs. As an opener, he scored 345 runs in the last season and will have the best of conditions to bat on.
- B Kumar only played four matches in last year’s edition before injury cut short his campaign. He recovered from it and bowled brilliantly in the ODI and T20I series against England. He took 10 wickets in eight matches and restricted the power-hitters of the opponents well.
- S Gill has been a constant at the top of the order for the last few seasons for Kolkata. He was their highest run scorer last year, with 440 runs in 14 matches at an average of 33.84. Since then, he has made his debut in the Indian team and will be confident of starting well here.
- S Al Hasan gives a great balance to the playing XI for Kolkata as he is a proper batsman and a genuine bowling option in the match. He has been in good form, scoring a couple of half centuries and taking 6 wickets in the last home series against the West Indies.
- P Cummins had a decent last season for Kolkata, taking 12 wickets at an average of 34 and an economy rate of 7.86. He took 21 wickets in the Test series against India and 8 wickets in his last four domestic 50-over matches. Moreover, he can chip in with valuable runs down the order.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: J Bairstow
- Batsman: D Warner, K Williamson, N Rana, S Gill
- All-rounders: S Al Hasan, V Shankar
- Bowlers: B Kumar, R Khan, P Cummins, P Krishna
- Captain: J Bairstow/K Williamson
- Vice Captain: S Al Hasan/N Rana
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play all the fantasy cricket matches from the Indian T20 League in the coming days. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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