Both teams currently have 12 points from 13 matches. Rajasthan is ranked fifth due to better run rate, while Kolkata is in sixth place. This is the last match of the league stage for both teams and a win in this will keep them in the playoff race.
However a win in tonight's game will not guarantee any team a spot in the playoff. Both teams will try to win with a good net run rate as the team winning this match will get 14 points. At the same time, some other teams will also have 14 points and in this case the team with better net run rate will get a place in the playoffs. Therefore, both Kolkata and Rajasthan would like to win by a good margin.
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Kolkata were defeated by Chennai Super Kings in the previous match. At the same time, Rajasthan had broken the winning steak of Kings XI Punjab in their last match.
Rajasthan have won both their previous matches and a big reason for this has been the form of Ben Stokes. Stokes had scored a century against Mumbai Indians and then a half-century against Punjab. Both these innings played a key role in Rajasthan's victory.
Rajasthan have won both their previous matches and a big reason for this has been the form of Ben Stokes. Stokes had scored a century against Mumbai Indians and then a half-century against Punjab. Both these innings played a key role in Rajasthan's victory.
Talking about Kolkata's batting, Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill are playing well in the top order, but Kolkata's problem is that their batting order is not fixed. Rahul Tripathi first started with Gill to start the innings, but then Rana started coming and Tripathi moved to third spot.
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Not having a stable batting order has been a problem for this team. Now that the last match of the league is left and Kolkata wins it and makes it to the playoffs, then it is necessary for them to give stability in their batting order.
Not having a stable batting order has been a problem for this team. Now that the last match of the league is left and Kolkata wins it and makes it to the playoffs, then it is necessary for them to give stability in their batting order.
Rajasthan's bowling is weaker than Kolkata. Jofra Archer is the lone warrior of this team and in spin department Shreyas Gopal and Rahul Tewatia sometimes prove useful. Young Karthik Tyagi has definitely supported Archer, but he lacks experience.
Squads:
Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Rinku Singh, Eoin Morgan(c), Dinesh Karthik(w), Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Mavi, Andre Russell, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Ali Khan, Tom Banton, Manimaran Siddharth, Chris Green, Tim Seifert, Nikhil Naik, Siddhesh Lad, Sandeep Warrier
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Robin Uthappa, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson(w), Steven Smith(c), Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Kartik Tyagi, David Miller, Manan Vohra, Ankit Rajpoot, Jaydev Unadkat, Aniruddha Joshi, Tom Curran, Andrew Tye, Shashank Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Oshane Thomas, Mayank Markande, Anuj Rawat, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash Singh
Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Rinku Singh, Eoin Morgan(c), Dinesh Karthik(w), Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Mavi, Andre Russell, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Ali Khan, Tom Banton, Manimaran Siddharth, Chris Green, Tim Seifert, Nikhil Naik, Siddhesh Lad, Sandeep Warrier
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Robin Uthappa, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson(w), Steven Smith(c), Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Kartik Tyagi, David Miller, Manan Vohra, Ankit Rajpoot, Jaydev Unadkat, Aniruddha Joshi, Tom Curran, Andrew Tye, Shashank Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Oshane Thomas, Mayank Markande, Anuj Rawat, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash Singh