KOLKATA VS. BANGALORE: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 31 | PREDICTION, PLAYING 11 AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Kolkata takes on Bangalore in Match 31 of the Indian T20 League 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday evening.
Kolkata won only 2 of their 7 games in the first leg of the season and will be under huge pressure as every loss nears them to the elimination. They have a rich vein of resources in their batting line-up with the match-winners like Andre Russell and Sunil Narine.
On the other hand, Bangalore had a good start to the season, with 5 wins in their first 7 matches. The team’s immediate challenge will be the change of personnel as five new replacements have come into the squad for the second leg. Bangalore won the earlier league match against Kolkata by a comfortable margin of 38 runs.
Match Details
- Game: Kolkata vs. Bangalore, Match 31
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Date & Time: Sep. 20, 2021, at 7:30 PM IST/6 PM Local
Probable Playing XI:
Kolkata
Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan (C), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Shabib Al Hasan, Shivam Mavi, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna
Bangalore
Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (C), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (WK), Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
Weather Report
The weather is expected to be mostly fair in Abu Dhabi, with the temperature predicted to be around 36 degrees during the game.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium has generally been a balanced surface. The batters will need to be watchful against the swing with the new ball. Moreover, they will require timing and power in their shots, given the fairly big boundaries. Spinners had more success here compared to the other UAE venues. The average first-innings score in the 2020 tournament here has been 162 runs.
Toss
The team batting first has won 9 of the 22 games played here last season. As the wicket tends to get better to bat on in the second innings because of dew, batting second is a preferable option here. A first-innings score of around 175 runs can be a competitive one on this surface.
Top Fantasy Picks
Wicketkeeper
- AB de Villiers is one of the first names on the team sheet. He had a brilliant game the last time he faced Kolkata, making 76 runs off just 34 balls. Although he hasn't played much competitive cricket in recent months, expect him to hit the ground running here.
Batters
- Nitish Rana had a good start to his campaign in the first leg for Kolkata. The opening batter scored 201 runs in seven matches at an average of 28.71, which included 2 half centuries. His highest score of 80 came in the very first match against Hyderabad.
- Glenn Maxwell has been one of the prime reasons for Bangalore’s success this year, making 223 runs at an average of 37.16 and an excellent strike rate of 144.8. Maxwell will be keen to continue his consistent form in the second leg.
All-Rounder
- Andre Russell is coming in after a decent outing in the Caribbean T20 League, making 160 runs and taking 11 wickets in 10 matches. He is one of the best all-rounders with his dangerous power-hitting ability and the newfound ability to effectively bowl in the death overs.
Bowlers
- Prasidh Krishna has been the most impressive of the Indian pace bowling contingent in the Kolkata setup. Although he was a bit expensive with the ball, he managed 8 wickets in seven matches with best figures of 3/30. The surface here will be more to his liking.
- Harshal Patel has surprised many with his sudden rise in the first leg of the tournament. He is the current Purple Cap holder, with 17 wickets in seven matches at an average of 15.11 and the best figures of 5/27. He will look to maintain this good run with the ball in the second leg.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: AB de Villiers
- Batters: E Morgan, N Rana, G Maxwell, D Padikkal
- All-rounders: A Russell, S Al Hasan, W Hasaranga
- Bowlers: P Krishna, K Jamieson, H Patel
- Captain: G Maxwell/AB de Villiers
- Vice Captain: N Rana/A Russell
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. 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.
Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!
