What

Match 14 of VIVO IPL 2017 is a mouth-watering clash between two formidable sides; Kolkata Knight Riders, fresh from their annihilation of Kings XI Punjab, will take on the defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad.

KKR should have had a clean slate but for the narrow defeat against the Mumbai Indians. In their most-recent outing, they caught their opponents unawares, as Sunil Narine accompanied Gautam Gambhir at the top of the order, and the blitzkrieg by the two left-handers blew away KXIP in no time. KKR chased down 171 in 16.3 overs to register a comprehensive 8-wicket victory. The victory should not mask the areas that KKR need to work on; the bowlers struggled for discipline, while the fielders were guilty of putting down catches and leaking runs through misfields and overthrows.

Sunrisers Hyderabad looked good in their two wins against RCB and the Lions before they were halted in their tracks by the Mumbai Indians. The defending champions missed the services of the in-form Moises Henriques in that match against MI; they were 81 when the openers were separated in the eleventh over, but could only add a further 77 runs in the remaining overs, losing seven wickets in that process. It is expected that Henriques will be available for selection, and if he is, the SRH management will face a tricky decision; do they bring him in straight back, or do they retain the same four overseas players that took the field last time around.

When

15 April 2017, 1600 Hrs IST

Where

Eden Gardens, Kolkata

The Protagonists

Gautam Gambhir is the most important batsman in the KKR line-up; the KKR captain is not only a prolific run-scorer, but also has the experience and the knowledge to tide through difficult periods of play. Even after the win on Thursday, Gambhir indicated that his role was to play through most of the overs, so the other explosive batsmen can express themselves at the other end.

At least one among David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh will need to get a big one for SRH. Warner has looked a different batsman to the one who struggled in the recently-concluded Test series against India; in the last three innings, he has batted with plenty of freedom and has caused plenty of damage at the top. If he stays at the crease for a period of seven or eight overs, one can be sure he will have put his team in a very good position.

Among the bowlers, Rashid Khan is certainly the one bowler you should not miss; the leg-spinner from Afghanistan has not been affected by the pressure of the big stage and of playing in front of big crowds. He has shown exceptional control and has used his variations smartly enough to deceive even a few reputed batsmen. Mustafizur Rahman, if he retains his place in the SRH XI, and Umesh Yadav and Sunil Narine in the KKR line-up, are the other bowlers whose performance could have a huge impact on the match.

Match within the match

There are very few opening batsmen who play spin bowlers well. Gautam Gambhir is one of those few, and it is hence that his contest against Rashid Khan should make for interesting viewing. It will also be interesting to see which of the two spinners – Sunil Narine or Rashid Khan - comes up with the more impactful performance.

Head to Head

Overall: Matches – 9, KKR Won – 6, SRH Won – 3

In Kolkata: Matches – 4, KKR Won – 4, SRH Won – 0

Last season, KKR defeated SRH twice in the league season, before SRH dealt KKR a knockout blow in the Eliminator.

Trivia

Kolkata Knight Riders have lost the fewest wickets among all the eight teams this season; they have so far only lost 9 wickets in their three matches.

What Next

Both teams will be seen in action next on April 17. After consecutive home games, the Kolkata Knight Riders will head to the national capital Delhi to take on the Delhi Daredevils, while Sunrisers Hyderabad will head back home and play host to Kings XI Punjab in the 8pm fixture.