Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants IPL Tips: Keep faith with the rungetters

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants
Tuesday 8 April, 11:00
TV: live on Sky Sports

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants IPL team news

KKR beat Sunrisers last time out, posting 200 and then razing them for just 120. Venkatesh Iyer with the bat and three wickets apiece for Varun Chakavarthy and Vaibhav Arora did the trick. Arora is an impact player for Raghuvanshi if they bat first.

Perhaps the best news was  a return to form for Rinku Singh who hit 32 off 17 to finish off their innings. It could be a sign that the champions are beginning to click. They are deploying Moeen Ali as an extra all-rounder instead of the pace of Spencer Johnson. 

Possible KKR XI: De Kock, Narine, Rahane, Iyer, Raghuvanshi (Arora sub), Rinku, Russell, Moeen, Ramandeep, Harshit, Varun

Lucknow are faring better than their depth suggested they should with two wins. Mumbai Indians were vanquished last time as they squeezed expertly in the chase to go with their win over Sunrisers. That 'shock' win, it has to be said, is looking less impressive every time SRH take to the field, however.   

What would have pleased them about beating MI was that it was achieved without relying on Nic Pooran. Aiden Markram and Mitch Marsh fired in the opening slots. But they could do with Rishabh Pant repaying some of his record auction fee. 

Possible LSG XI: Marsh (Bishnoi sub), Markram, Pooran, Pant, Badoni, Miller, Samad, Thakur, Deep, Avesh, Rathi

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants IPL pitch report

Eight of the last 15 first-innings have seen 200 or more busted. There was talk that KKR would prepare something slow to try to calm SRH hitters last time and bring their spinners into play. But it still looked a pretty good batting wicket. Overs 197.5 on the 20-over par line is probably a bet on the study filter.

But only if KKR bat first. The hosts are averaging an 8.2 economy rate with the ball with LSG conceding at more than ten an over. Sportsbook go 10/111.91 that both teams score 170 each. That has won 12 in the last 18 at the venue. And it really isn't a big ask for batting units to go well with so much stacked in their favour.

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants IPL match prediction

KKR are 1.834/5 favourites and perhaps the for the first time in this tournament that might be a price about a favourite which looks about right.

What we like about KKR is not just pedigree or great batting depth but that meanness in the field. The bowling economy suggests they have what it takes to make a run of consecutive titles. 

In a competition which has confounded the formbook so far it would be discombobulating indeed if KKR didn't begin to put down some Ws. At the moment they look one of the few sides capable of being trustworthy. Lucknow have battled hard but their middle- to lower-order looks weak and they are still taken to struggle for a top four.

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants IPL specials

Sportsbook offer 100/1101.00 that both teams score 190 and Ajinkra Rahane and Micth Marsh top bat for KKR and LSG respectively. There's 50/151.00 that Pant, Pooran and De Kock each hit a six and take a catch. Given that Pant and De Kock are keepers that could prove popular. Varun is 150/1151.00 to take out Pant and De Kock, one of whom must be stumped. 

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants IPL player bets

There are a couple of prices which seem overly generous on top bat for KKR, largely because of the players' ability to be up and down the order. Moeen at 33/134.00 and Ramandeep at a massive 80s. Moeen has opened, of course, this term in the absence of Sunil Narine while Ramandeep has been up at No 6 in the past.

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