This match vs Mumbai Indians is a huge match for Kolkata Knight Riders. They have fought their way back into contention by winning five of their last six matches and, in the process, have built serious momentum at exactly the right stage of the tournament. There is now a sense that this side has rediscovered belief and rhythm after struggling earlier in the campaign. Their batting line-up, in particular, looks far more settled and capable than it did during the first half of the season. There is confidence running through both the top order and the middle order, and that has made a massive difference to the way they are approaching games.
Ajinkya Rahane remains a slight concern, but apart from that, the batting unit looks strong. Finn Allen, especially, has been absolutely extraordinary. His performances have been so good that it is genuinely difficult to imagine now how he was ever left out earlier in the tournament. Perhaps some people will look back at that decision in hindsight and question it even more strongly because of what he showed during the World T20. If Kolkata fail to make the playoffs from here, they may end up reflecting on certain selection calls and wonder whether those decisions delayed them from finding form much earlier in the season.
If Finn Allen had not performed during the World T20, then perhaps his slow start in the IPL could have justified the decision to leave him out for a period. But once he found rhythm, he made up for lost time in remarkable fashion. His impact at the top of the order has transformed the side. Cameron Green is also beginning to come good at an important stage of the season, even if he is still not quite at his very best. Then there is Angkrish Raghuvanshi at No. 3, a player who has long looked like someone who should bat higher up the order, and his role there continues to look increasingly valuable.
Rinku Singh has also been doing an excellent job at No. 5, providing stability and finishing ability in the middle order. Beyond the batting, Kolkata possess a bowling attack that is heavily dependent on Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, with Anukul Roy also playing a useful role in that spin-heavy set-up. Their home conditions suit that style perfectly. They play on a flat pitch, but the ground itself is big, particularly square of the wicket, and those large open spaces help the spinners defend totals effectively.
That becomes particularly important in a game like this because the question naturally arises — are they a side capable of defending 200? The answer is clearly yes. With Narine and Chakaravarthy operating in tandem, they absolutely have the tools to defend big scores, especially at home where the dimensions aid their style of bowling. That gives them a huge advantage because, although Mumbai Indians have been below their best, they remain a batting side capable of creating chaos on any given day.
For Kolkata, the incentive could not be bigger. They probably need to win another couple of games and hope results elsewhere go in their favour, but they will believe qualification is still very possible. Rovman Powell is expected to return, while Matheesha Pathirana’s injury is a real disappointment for them. They waited a long time for him to come back into the side and make an impact, only for injury to rule him out again.
One player who has impressed enormously throughout the season is Kartik Tyagi. He has bowled extremely well and, more importantly, has delivered in important moments. The captain has repeatedly brought him back into the attack during key phases of games, and he has responded with composure and effectiveness. He has bowled with genuine pace, used the short ball intelligently and looks like someone finally beginning to find his rhythm and confidence in the IPL.
That is particularly valuable because bowling on flat pitches is never easy. On surfaces like these, teams need bowlers who provide a point of difference, and Tyagi’s pace and aggression certainly give Kolkata that edge. Overall, they look in very good shape heading into this contest. They are clearly strong favourites, although there is always danger when facing a side that seemingly has very little to play for. Often those are the teams that suddenly become dangerous because they can play with freedom and without pressure.
From Mumbai’s perspective, the side has looked a little tired and weary in recent weeks. Their senior players have been out of form and have generally looked off-colour. In truth, many of them appear fatigued after the T20 World Cup, which is understandable to a degree. Still, it would be dangerous to completely dismiss them because they possess players capable of producing match-winning performances.
Ryan Rickelton has been outstanding at the top of the order and will want to finish the season strongly by pushing his numbers even higher. Hardik Pandya also looks likely to return after missing the last three matches, and his comeback should provide at least some boost to the side. Even so, there still appears to be uncertainty surrounding the No. 3 position.
The solution, in many ways, feels straightforward. Ideally, Tilak Varma should bat at No. 3. If the side continues rotating options because of left-hand and right-hand combinations, then Will Jacks is another excellent choice there. Jacks has done a terrific job for England lower down the order, but his best position still feels like it is somewhere in the top three. Whether that is as an opener or at No. 3, he simply looks more comfortable there.
At the moment, Mumbai’s top order does not appear to be functioning quite as effectively as it potentially could. For that reason, either Varma or Jacks at No. 3 seems like the best solution. The side also looks stronger with Corbin Bosch included. He has added real balance to the team as an all-rounder. Bosch bowls a heavy back-of-a-length style that has been extremely effective in the IPL this season, and he also has the ability to strike the ball powerfully with the bat.
Overall, this shapes up as a brilliant match because there is so much riding on it for Kolkata. Earlier in the tournament, they looked almost completely out of the playoff race after the first half of the group stage. At that stage, even if they still believed qualification was possible, they certainly would not have been favourites to get through. Yet they have managed to rediscover form at exactly the right time, and they deserve enormous credit for the way they have turned their campaign around.
Now, after finding this winning momentum, they simply need to continue it for a little while longer.
