What

Sunrisers Hyderabad, the only team with a 100% record so far in VIVO IPL 2018, will take on Kings XI Punjab in Match 16.

KXIP have two wins from three so far. In their most recent match, they denied Chennai Super Kings and MS Dhoni in a thriller. After scoring 197-7, KXIP pushed CSK on to the backfoot early on before the CSK captain attempted an end-overs rescue act; Mohit Sharma bowled two fantastic deliveries in the final over and helped KXIP sneak to a 4-run win.

SRH are 3-0 having defeated the Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders. In each of their three matches, SRH have bowled first, and their bowlers have been able to rein in their opponents and restrict them to a modest total.

One element of the Sunrisers’ performance that slips under the radar is their fielding and catching; in their three wins so far, their fielders have pulled off some brilliant catches. Manish Pandey, Shakib al Hasan and Rashid Khan have all contributed on the field, and coach Tom Moody explained that his team were looking at fielding as a crucial component of the game. Moody said, “Fielding is an important component to the game, particularly to T20 cricket. It is the third facet of the game that can win or lose you a game. Right from the outset, right from our strategy going into the auction, right through to our preparation at the start of this tournament, our focus was on having a side that is competitive on the field. We feel that fielders are wicket-takers – whether it be the half chance with the catch, whether it be the run out. They are important moments in the game and can shift momentum quickly.” SRH will hope their fielders can remain sharp on the field and convert those half-chances to wickets.

The Sunrisers have lost their place at the top of the table after KKR defeated RR in Match 15. Can they reclaim their place at the top, or will KXIP be able to pull off a big win and climb to the number one spot?

When

18 April 2018, 2000Hrs (IST)

Where

IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali

Impact Batsmen

Chris Gayle has set the expectations with his blitz the other day; 38-year old ended a small streak of poor scores and reaffirmed to fans that he could still entertain and win matches. KL Rahul too has been striking the ball crisply; after starting the tournament with the fastest-ever half-century in the IPL, the opener has carried forward that in his next two innings – though he will be disappointed that he has not been able to convert 47 and 37 into bigger scores.

Shikhar Dhawan is the one batsman in the SRH top three who can take on the opposition. The left-hander has been in good form with the bat recently, and SRH will need him to make a big score.

Impact Bowlers

SRH are unbeaten so far this season because their bowlers have been exceptional; SRH have fielded five specialist bowlers, and they’ve been able to restrict the opposition to totals under 150 on each occasion. The prospect of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Billy Stanlake and Rashid Khan running in to bowl to the likes of Gayle and Rahul promises to make for exciting viewing.

KXIP will look towards their captain Ravichandran Ashwin and the teenage sensation Mujeeb ur Rahman to control the runs and build pressure, and hope that results in other bowlers reaping the rewards. Between them, the two spinners have bowled 23 overs, for combined returns of 7-160 and a combined economy rate of 6.96.

Team Head to Head

Overall: Matches – 10, Kings XI Punjab won – 2, Sunrisers Hyderabad won – 8

At the IS Bindra Stadium: Matches – 4, Kings XI Punjab won – 0, Sunrisers Hyderabad won – 4

Trivia

Sunrisers Hyderabad have the best economy rate among all the eight teams this season; their overall economy rate this season reads 6.83. SRH also concede the fewest runs through boundaries – 52.7%, and have conceded the fewest boundaries overall – 49 (39 4s & 10 6s).

Kings XI Punjab have the best scoring rate in Powerplay this season; their overall scoring rate in the first six overs is 11.00. They’ve made scores of 73/2, 50/3 and 75/0 in the first six overs in their three matches so far.

What Next

Kings XI Punjab’s next will be the first of their three consecutive away fixture; their first stop will be in Kolkata on April 21, to take on the Kolkata Knight Riders. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s next is the home clash against the Chennai Super Kings, scheduled to e played on April 22.