IPL 2021, KKR vs RCB Predicted Playing 11: Southee to lead Kolkata's attack, Hasaranga likely to play
RCB vs KKR IPL 2021 Match 32 Playing XI Predictions: Tim Southee will lead Kolkata Knight Riders' bowling attack while Wanindu Hasaranga is likely to make his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.
Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second match of the UAE leg of IPL 2021 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. RCB are well ahead of the Knight Riders in the points table, having earned 10 points from seven matches. While KKR lie second from bottom with just four points from seven games.
Eoin Morgan-led KKR would be hoping to make a turnaround, just like the 2014 edition when they won nine games in a row to claim the title. Even though KKR leads in head-to-head record against RCB, winning 18 and losing 13 out of 28 fixtures played between the two sides, the 38-run defeat against Kohli's team in the first half of the event in Chennai would be fresh on their players' minds.
KKR's bowling department will be on the shoulders of Kiwi pacer Tim Southee, who came in as a replacement for Pat Cummins for the second half. Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Rahul Tripathy and Shakib Al Hasan need to come good for KKR if the team harbors any hopes of making it to the play-offs.
With Glenn Maxwell (223 runs from 7 games) and AB de Villiers (207 runs from 7) leading the run-scorers chart till now for the team, RCB's batting unit looks ominous. Kohli (198), by his own standards, has been a little disappointing and Devdutt Padikkal (195) too would be looking for a consistent show.
On the bowling front, Mohammed Siraj and Kiwi Kyle Jamieson would lead the attack which also has Harshal Patel, Navdeep Saini, and Yuzvendra Chahal. The additions of the Sri Lanka duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, who replaced Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson, will also hold RCB in good stead as they have a good understanding of the UAE conditions.
RCB Predicted XI vs KKR: Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
KKR Predicted XI vs RCB: Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (Captain), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy, Kamlesh Nagarkoti.