IPL
IPL Nights: RCB complete comfortable win over tame Lucknow
It was the 5th time that Faf du Plessis reached the 90s in the IPL but again he fell short of a maiden century, falling for 96. But it was enough to give Royal Challengers Bangalore 181/6, a score above par for the ground.
When they came in to bowl, Josh Hazlewood posted his best IPL figures, taking 4 for 25 and toppling Lucknow SuperGiants, one of the new franchises this year, in a race to the spot just below the top. With 10 points from 7 matches they are below Gujrat Titans who have 10 from 6 matches. LSG with 7 matches are with 8 points, in mid-table.
96 was enough
Faf’s 96 meant that the rest of the team collected roughly what he did alone but it was enough in the end. RCB lost 3 wickets in the power play. Losing 2 is considered “safe“ but 3 is dicey and 4 is bad news. So the match wasn’t all done when RCB finished batting and LSG –with equal points on the table- began their chase. Earlier RCB’s deity Virat Kohli failed to score once again, getting an embarrassing 0. His rather longish run of bad form is troubling for the fans if not for him. True, it really doesn’t matter for his career but VK scoring is one reason why many tune in to watch IPL.
Read: 2023 ICC Test Championship: Best batting and bowling performances thus far
LSG is a new IPL entrant and has been doing fine but against RCB, they seemed to lack a winning drive or couldn’t put it together. They lost the advantage by not getting many runs in the power play but after that too, they didn’t pick up steam. Captain Rahul’s dismissal at 30 seemed to shake them even more as he appeared to be getting ready to launch himself for a game changing innings. After him LSG shrank even further. LSG seemed to lack the fire and brimstone most teams have shown this IPL season. Krunal got a lonely 42.
The game was never really out of reach of LSG till the end over as teams have scored 24+ in an over several times but it was not to be by LSG this evening. Holder did get 2 sixes in the last over but by then the match was over and even he got out off the 4th ball. It was an odd match to watch where two teams seemed to be weighed down by the heat or something. RCB was more nimble and Faf had a fine evening though one wishes he makes it to 100 the next time. And Hazelwood put on the finishing touches to beat LSG.
Read: Should Test captain Mominul be 'chilling' after South Africa tour?
Kolkata Knight Riders news
Bangladesh has a large base of KKR fans but the team which began with much promise isn’t doing too well. It is in the 6th spot in a table of 10 and has 6 points after playing 7 matches. Only RCB has played that many and they have 10 points. But KKR aren’t as bad as Mumbai Indians, who after 6 matches are still on zero points.
Taskin should be rewarded: Mashrafe
Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has praised young tearawayn Taskin Ahmed for his decision to prefer playing for the national team instead of taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Mashrafe said the pacer should be rewarded by the board so that he and other players feel that the board always stands beside them.
“Of course (Taskin should be awarded). When a player skips IPL for national duty, he deserves an award. It makes the cricketer feels good and thinks that the board is beside me and I’m ready to play any format of the game,” Mashrafe told the reporters on Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Also read: Masrahfe praises Shakib for his sacrifice
Taskin won the player of the match award twice in the recently concluded series against Proteas, which was the first series win in South Africa as well.
In the third match of the series, Taskin bagged five wickets— the second of his career. Right before the third match, Taskin got an IPL call-up from the Lucknow Super Giants.
The pacer said no to IPL after a discussion with the Bangladesh Cricket Board. The right-arm pacer is contracted with the board to play all formats of the game.
Also read: Imperious Tigers complete historic series win in South Africa
Taskin overlooked IPL call for national duty
Bangladesh speedster Taskin Ahmed overlooked a call from the Indian Premier League team Lucknow Super Giants due to tight national team duty, confirmed Jalal Yunus, the cricket operation chairman of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
Taskin is currently in South Africa to play a three-match ODI and two-match Test series. He has done well in the first two ODIs of the series.
“The Lucknow IPL team contacted us about Taskin,” Jalal said. “But we have a lot of matches coming up. In this situation, we don’t want Taskin to leave the national team and play in IPL.”
Also read: Shakib to continue playing in SA despite family issues
Jalal added that Taskin also wants to continue performing his national duty instead of IPL.
The pacer did not respond to UNB message for a comment.
Taskin started his international career back in 2014. He got his ODI cap against India when he bagged a five-for in Mirpur. Bangladesh, however, lost that rain-hit match.
Due to injury and off-forms, Taksin had been going through a chequered time in his international career. But in the last two years, the pacer proved his improvement in every format of cricket.
Also read: Proteas bounce back strongly against Tigers to level series 1-1
In his last 10 international bowling innings, he bagged 10 wickets. In his last 10 ODIs, Taksin conceded runs at an economy rate of under 5 with scalping 14 wickets with the best bowling of 4-46.
The pacer has recently expressed his desire to become the number one bowler in the world.
Mustafizur goes to Delhi Capital, Shakib remains unsold
For the new season of the Indian Premier League, Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman went to Delhi Capital while other Bangladesh star Shakib Al Hasan remained unsold on day one of the mega IPL auction.
In the last edition of IPL, Mustafizur represented Rajasthan Royals. But ahead of the new season, they left him for the auction.
Mustafizur’s base price was two crores of Indian Rupees, and he was sold at his base price. Apart from Delhi, no team showed any interest in the left-arm pacer.
Also read: Mustafizur finds place in ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year 2021
The Bangladesh pacer played 38 matches in IPL so far after his debut back in 2016 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He played a pivotal role that year for the Sunriesres when they became the champions.
Mustafizur will have his former teammate David Warner in Delhi. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting will coach this team in the IPL.
In the last edition of IPL, Shakib represented Kolkata Knight Riders who did not show any interest in the allrounder this time. It came as a surprise that no other team showed any interest in him. Shakib played 71 matches in IPL and bagged 63 wickets and scored 793 runs.
Also read: BPL 2022: Shakib Sets New Record as Fortune Barishal Secure Top Two
Toppers List at the end of the IPL 2021
Chennai Super Kings were crowned IPL 2021 champions after defeating Kolkata Knight Riders in the final on Friday (October 15) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. A total of 60 matches were played in the Indian Premier League. We had seen some remarkable performances in the tournament's 14th season. Among the shining players, Chennai batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad ended top with 635 runs, while Bangalore medium pacer Harshal Patel took the most 32 wickets in only 15 innings and was named player of the series. Let's take a look at the toppers list of the IPL 14.
Here is the complete IPL 2021 Toppers List
Champion: Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings earned their first Indian Premier League trophy in three years after defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the final. They came in second in the round-robin league stage points table.
Read Dravid to be Team India's next head coach?
Most Runs: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad was the leading run-scorer in the tournament. He scored the most runs (635) in 16 innings with a century.
Top 3 Most Runs
Player
Innings
Runs
Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings)
16
635
Faf du Plessis (Chennai Super Kings)
16
633
KL Rahul (Punjab Kings)
13
626
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read Chennai beats Kolkata in final to clinch 4th IPL title
Most Wickets: Harshal Patel
The pacer for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Harshal Patel was outstanding with the ball. The medium-pacer bagged 32 wickets in 15 innings with an incredible 10.5 strike rate.
Top 3 Most Wickets
Player
Innings
Wickets
Harshal Patel (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
15
32
Avesh Khan (Delhi Capitals)
16
24
Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians)
14
21
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read Youth ODI: Bangladesh lose series opener against Sri Lanka
High Scores: Jos Buttler
Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler scored 124 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Not to mention, it was the best innings in the tournament.
Top 3 Highest Scores
Player
Runs
Oppositions
Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals)
124
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals
119
Punjab Kings
Devdutt Padikkal (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
101*
Rajasthan Royals
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read Short format, long wait for pandemic-affected T20 World Cup
Best Bowling Figures (Innings): Andre Russell
Andre Russell of the Kolkata Knight Riders had the best bowling figures in the competition with 5/15 against the Mumbai Indians.
Top 3 Best Bowling Figures
Player
BBI
Oppositions
Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders)
5/15
Mumbai Indians
Harshal Patel (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
5/27
Mumbai Indians
Arshdeep Singh (Punjab Kings)
5/32
Rajasthan Royals
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read Twenty20 Cricket World Cup: 5 players to watch
Most Dismissals: MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni of the Chennai Super Kings had the most dismissals (13) in the tournament.
Top 3 Most Dismissals
Player
Innings
Dismissals
MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
16
13
Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals)
16
13
Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals)
14
11
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read Big setback: Bangladesh suffer two defeats before WC
Most Catches: Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja of the Chennai Super Kings recorded the most catches (13) in the competition.
Top 3 Most Catches
Player
Innings
Catches
Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings)
16
13
Faf du Plessis (Chennai Super Kings)
16
12
Steven Smith (Delhi Capitals)
8
9
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read T20 World Cup 2021: Bangladesh’s Group Stage Fixtures
Highest Partnerships: Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal
Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal had the highest partnership (181*) of the tournament against Rajasthan Royals.
Top 3 Highest Partnerships
Partners
Runs
Oppositions
Virat Kohli & Devdutt Padikkal (RCB)
181*
Rajasthan Royals
Joss Butter & Sanju Samson (RR)
150
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Prithvi Shaw & Shikhar Dhawan (DC)
138
Chennai Super Kings
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read IPL 2021 Final: Key Stats, Team News Ahead of CSK vs. KKR Championship Match
Most Sixes: KL Rahul
The captain of the Punjab Kings, KL Rahul struck the most sixes in the competition (30).
Top 3 Most Sixes
Players
Innings
Sixes
KL Rahul (Punjab Kings)
13
30
Faf du Plessis (Chennai Super Kings)
16
23
Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings)
16
23
Sources: ESPNCricinfo
Read Defeat in warm-up match not a big thing: Minhajul
Highest Match Aggregates
Top 3 Highest Match Aggregates
Matches
Runs
Rajasthan Royals vs. Punjab Kings
438
Mumbai Indians vs. Chennai Super Kings
437
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Mumbai Indians
428
Source: ESPNCricinfo
Read Tigers lose the plot while fielding to lose first warm-up against SL
Bottom Line
The franchise-based Indian Premier League completed its 14th season this year. As predicted, some fresh new players emerged in this year's IPL. Harshal Patel of Royal Challengers Bangalore was the most prominent one. Finishing the competition with impressive 32 wickets, this outstanding bowler kept both audiences and critics enthralled. Most players of the IPL 2021 champion Chennai Super Kings' had a successful season. Shardul Thakur and Ruturaj Gaikwad were the most consistent performers for Chennai. Winning the fourth Indian Premier League title, CSK captain MS Dhoni has added one more feature in his cap.
Read Mahmudullah out of Bangladesh’s first warm-up match
Chennai beats Kolkata in final to clinch 4th IPL title
Ageing maestro Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings won their fourth Indian Premier League title, beating two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the final on Friday.
Chennai, playing its ninth IPL final, made an imposing 192-3 after being put into bat by Kolkata skipper Eoin Morgan.
Kolkata, which had chased down 199 in the 2012 final against Chennai, crumbled to 125-8 before tailenders Shivam Mavi (20) and Lockie Ferguson (17 not out) dragged them to 165-9.
Openers Shubman Gill (51) and Venkatesh Iyer (50) put on a solid 91-run stand, then Kolkata lost its way completely, losing eight wickets for just 34 runs in a dramatic collapse.
Fast bowler Shardul Thakur, who has replaced Axar Patel in India's Twenty20 World Cup squad, picked up 3-38 while Josh Hazzlewood (2-29) and Ravindra Jadeja (2-37) ran through Kolkata's middle order.
All four top-order Chennai batsmen were amongst the runs, led by Faf du Plessis' 86 off 59 balls. But the South African had a lucky escape on 2 when Dinesh Karthik missed a regulation stumping.
Ferguson (0-56) had an off day and conceded the second most runs by a bowler in an IPL final.
The three cameos by Moeen Ali (37 not out), tournament top-scorer Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Robin Uthappa (31) helped Chennai to set a formidable total.
IPL 2021 Eliminator: Shakib Scores the Winning Run as Kolkata Secure Qualifier 2
Both KKR and RCB won a game against each other in the round-robin league stage. However, Kolkata won a one-sided affair in the most recent meeting between the two teams and they were full of confidence going into the elimination match. The batters failed to cope with the pitch, thus the eliminator was a low-scoring affair. Kolkata won the match in the last over as Shakib Al Hasan scored the winning run for his team. Kolkata Knight Riders will play Delhi Capitals in qualifier 2 on Wednesday (October 13) for a spot in the final.
Match Report: KKR vs. RCB
Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli chose to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders in the eliminator match on Monday (October 11) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah.
Bangalore’s Innings
Batted first, Royal Challengers Bangalore barely managed to score 138/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
They got off to a good start in the innings, scoring 49 runs in the first five overs. Captain Virat Kohli and new sensation Devdutt Padikkal, started cautiously but were eager to rotate the strike to put pressure on the bowlers.
Read Mahmudullah out of Bangladesh’s first warm-up match
They were doing well until Kolkata got their first breakthrough with a wide outside off delivery to Padikkal (21) from Kiwi pacer Lockie Ferguson. The left-handed batsman failed to connect with the ball and was clean bowled in the first delivery of the sixth over.
Losing opener Padikkal (21) put the Bangalore innings under strain, as they only managed to score 21 runs in the following five overs and lost Srikar Bharat's wicket. Bangalore had 70 runs on board for the cost of two wickets at that stage.
The Bangalore campaign was hoping that skipper Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and AB de Villiers would lead the team to a competitive score. Though neither of the players ignited in the death overs and Bangalore were forced to settle for a low total to defend.
Also read: Junaid Siddique to play in T10 League
Virat Kohli played a 39 off 33 balls knock before getting clean bowled by Sunil Narine in the 13th over. It was a fruitful day for Narine, who rattled Bangalore’s top and middle orders with some tight bowling and later played a crucial part with the bat. Narine finished his spell with 4-0-21-4. Apart from him, Ferguson took 2 wickets and Shakib Al Hasan had an economical spell as well.
Kolkata’s Innings
Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer got Kolkata off to a strong start with a 41-run opening partnership in pursuit of a modest score. The most successful bowler in IPL 2021, Harshal Patel interrupted their momentum by taking the first wicket in the sixth over. He removed Kolkata’s top scorer Shubman Gill (29) in an off-cutter slower delivery. Kolkata lost inform Rahul Tripathi in the following over.
Kolkata's batsmen had battled to get the scoreboard moving due to the slow nature of the pitch. Kolkata's innings were interrupted due to losing wickets at regular intervals, and the fate of the match was swinging both ways.
Read: IPL 2021: Who will play whom in the playoffs?
Nitesh Rana (23) and Sunil Narine (26) batted well in the middle of the innings to keep Kolkata in the run chase. Bangalore's campaign looked positive to clinch the contest when Sunil Narine and Dinesh Karthik went back to the pavilion in the 18th over.
However, Shakib Al Hasan and captain Eoin Morgan’s patient approach eased Kolkata’s victory with two balls to spare. Shakib took the winning run in the fourth ball of the final over. Siraj, Patel, and Chahal bagged two wickets each for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Player of the Match
All-rounder Sunil Narine was named the best player of the IPL 2021 eliminator match for his outstanding performance with the ball.
Read Bangladesh jersey for T20 World Cup revealed
Way Forward
Kolkata Knight Riders had been struggling before the postponement of the Indian Premier League last May. They came back strong when the competition resumed in September in the United Arab Emirates. The Kolkata team management has found their ideal formation with the addition of Shakib Al Hasan to the playing XI. However, sources indicate that the ace all-rounder is unlikely to play in the second qualifying match given his commitment to the Bangladesh national team.
Andre Russell may replace Shakib Al Hasan and the West Indian knows what it takes to win a big match. Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, and the openers did well in the eliminator match. They would play vital roles in the qualifier 2 encounter against Delhi Capitals in Sharjah.
Read Tigers start training in UAE Monday
IPL 2021 Qualifier 1: Magnificent MS Dhoni Powers Chennai into Final
Delhi Capitals team was confident that they could make it three in a row after winning their two round-robin league matches against Chennai Super Kings. However, Chennai captain MS Dhoni displayed his flamboyant charisma at the most crunch moment of the game, leading his team to victory with two balls to spare. Chennai advanced to the 14th edition of the tournament final after defeating Delhi in the IPL 2021 qualifier 1 match. Delhi Capitals will play the winner of the eliminator match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore in qualifier 2 for a final berth.
Match Report: CSK vs. DC
The captain of Chennai Super Kings MS Dhoni opted to field first against Delhi Capitals in the first qualifying match in Dubai on Sunday (October 10)
Delhi’s Innings
Delhi Capitals batted first and set up a challenging 172/5 runs in their allocated 20 overs. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan partnered for a 36-run opening stand, with Prithvi taking the initiative to get the scoreboard moving quickly. Shikhar Dhawan was struggling to time the ball and was finally bowled by Josh Hazlewood in the fourth over.
Read: Shakib, Mustafiz set to leave IPL to join national team
Getting the first wicket helped Chennai to increase the pressure on the Delhi batsmen. They lost three more wickets within 11 overs, including Prithvi Shaw. The excellent left-hand batsman lost his wicket to Ravindra Jadeja after an aggressive 60 off 34 balls.
Delhi skipper Rishab Pant and Windies power hitter Shimron Hetmyer (37) repaired the innings with an 83-run partnership in the fifth wicket and took the total to 163. Rishab Pant remained undefeated with a 51* off 35 balls. Josh Hazlewood was Chennai's most successful bowler, taking two wickets for 29 runs in four overs.
Chennai’s Innings
Chasing 173 runs, Chennai's most inform batsman Faf du Plessis was dismissed in the opening over. He was clean bowled by compatriot Anrich Nortje on the fourth ball of the first over. However, the loss of an early wicket had little effect on Chennai's momentum in the run chase.
Read: IPL 2021: Who will play whom in the playoffs?
A 110-run second-wicket partnership between Ruturaj Gaikwad and the experienced Robin Uthappa helped Chennai stay in the game. They took the total to 113 in the 14th over. Both batsmen were steady and did not take any needless risks while forming the partnership.
Uthappa was dismissed in the14th over after a 63-run knock. On the other hand, Gaikwad remained at the crease till the 19th over, ensuring Chennai's progress in the run chase. However, the match took a dramatic turn when in-form Avesh Khan sent Gaikwad back to the pavilion on the first ball of the 19th over.
Chennai needed 24 runs in 11 balls at that point. With two new batsmen at the crease, they were under a lot of pressure to get those runs. However, skipper MS Dhoni came out as a savior for his team and ensured victory with some blistering strokes.
Read:IPL 2021: Delhi secure Qualifier 1 with 3-wicket win against Chennai
Dhoni sealed the victory by smashing Tom Curran for a boundary in the last over's fourth ball. He stayed unbeaten, with a match-winning 18 off 6 balls knock. Taking three wickets, Curran was Delhi's most successful bowler in this game.
Player of the Match
Chennai Super Kings opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was awarded the best player of the IPL 2021 qualifier 1 match for his responsible 70-run knock.
Way Forward
Delhi Capitals lost to Chennai Super Kings for the first time of the IPL 2021 season. They overcame Chennai twice in the league phase and were considered favorites to win the IPL 2021 qualifier 1 match. However, responsible knocks by Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa, as well as MS Dhoni's fiery innings, saw Chennai defeat Delhi in the first match of the playoffs round. This will be the 9th IPL final for Chennai Super Kings.
Read:IPL 2021: Kolkata, Mumbai, Rajasthan in three-way race for a playoffs spot
On the other hand, Delhi Capitals must win the second qualifier match to advance to the IPL final for the second year in a row. Delhi finished runner-up after losing the IPL 2020 final to Mumbai Indians. The qualifier 2 match will take place in Sharjah on Wednesday (13th October).
Shakib, Mustafiz set to leave IPL to join national team
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and pacer Mustafizur Rahman are set to leave their IPL teams – Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals – to join the national side ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The Tigers are now in Oman, and they were scheduled to travel to the UAE Saturday to play two warm-up matches against Sri Lanka and Ireland. However, the fixture has been changed, and the national team will travel to the UAE Sunday.
In this season of IPL, Shakib played only five matches and scored 38 runs, and bagged five wickets while Mustafiz played 14 matches and scalped as many wickets.
Read: IPL 2021: Who will play whom in the playoffs?
Mustafiz's Rajasthan ended their IPL campaign as the seventh team, winning only five out of 14 matches. Shakib's Kolkata managed to secure a play-off place. They will now play Rajasthan Royals in an eliminator match on October 11.
On Friday, the Tigers played a practice match in Oman against the Oman A team and won the match by 60 runs.
Read: IPL 2021: Delhi secure Qualifier 1 with 3-wicket win against Chennai
Bangladesh will travel back to the Gulf state on October 15 to take part in the first round of the World Cup, which will begin on October 17.
In this round, Bangladesh will take on Scotland, Oman and Papua New Guinea.
IPL 2021: Who will play whom in the playoffs?
The IPL 2021 playoff lineups were confirmed after the end of the thrilling round-robin league phase on Friday (October 8). The table-topping Delhi Capitals are one of the early favorites to win the Indian Premier League's 14th edition. Probably, this is the final season of veteran cricketer MS Dhoni. Not to mention, all of Chennai's players would be keen to give Dhoni a proper farewell by winning the Indian Premier League. In Qualifier 1, both teams will compete for a spot in the final. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore will face Kolkata Knight Riders in the elimination match. Let's take a look at the favorites of the playoffs round.
IPL 2021: Lineups for the Playoffs
Qualifier 1 (DC vs. CSK)
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Date: October 10 | Time (BST): 8 pm
Verdict: Delhi favourite to beat CSK
At the end of the IPL 2021 round-robin league stage, Delhi Capitals came out on top of the point table. Delhi gained 20 points in the league phase by winning 10 games and losing four. Importantly, Delhi defeated Chennai in both of their league matches. In comparison to Chennai, Delhi's squad contains more talented young players and a good number of them are in tremendous forms. As a result, team Capitals will be more confident against the Super Kings ahead of the qualifier 1 encounter on Sunday. On the other side, Chennai have some experienced players who are expected to outperform the opponent in terms of game strategy and on-field displays.
READ: Tigers trounce Oman A in warm-up match
Delhi Capitals probable playing XI
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel, Ravi Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (Captain & wicket-keeper), Ripal Patel, Shimron Hetmyer,
Chennai Super Kings probable playing XI
Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali.
Read KKR vs. PBKS: KL Rahul guides Punjab to 5-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021
Eliminator (KKR vs. RCB)
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Date: October 11 | Time (BST): 8 pm
Verdict: Kolkata favourite to beat RCB
Shakib Al Hasan played in the last two Kolkata's round-robin league fixtures, helping his side to finish fourth in the points standings. Kolkata squad is now on a roll, and they have found a winning formula that they can rely on. Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore would be the Kolkata Knight Riders' eliminator opponent. The Bangalore team is also formidable enough to crush the opposite bowling lineups on any given day. Both teams have some extraordinary players and they won a round-robin league match against each other once. Therefore, this fixture promises to be fascinating.
READ: T20 World Cup warm-up match: Bangladesh take on Oman A Friday
Kolkata Knight Riders probable playing XI
Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper)
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s probable playing XI
Virat Kohli (captain), Devdutt Padikkal, AB de Villiers, Dan Christian, Shahbaz Ahmed, George Garton, KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Glenn Maxwell, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Read IPL 2021: Shakib's Kolkata leads over Mustafiz's Rajasthan in the playoffs race
Qualifier 2 (DC/CSK vs. KKR/RCB)
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Date: October 13 | Time (BST): 8 pm
The winner of the eliminator and the loser of qualifier 1 will compete for a final spot in the qualifier 2 match. Chennai and Delhi are the two most consistent teams in this year's IPL. Interestingly, whoever wins qualifier 2 will be the favorite to win the competition, because playing two playoffs will make them stronger heading to the final.
READ: I didn't ask for votes in BCB election: Nazmul
Despite having some quality players in the squad, Kolkata and Bangalore have failed to maintain consistency in this campaign and this could halt them to advance to the final. However, it will be a knockout game, and the competing teams will try their best to reach the final.
Bottom Line
According to the playoff schedule, the Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings are the two hot favorites to advance to the IPL 2021 championship match. Meanwhile, if Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore can effectively execute their strategies on the field, they will have a chance. Both Kolkata and Bangalore teams can lose momentum at crucial stages of a game, which can put a halt to their progress. Fans of the Indian Premier League are anticipating an entertaining playoff round this year.
Read IPL 2021: Will Shakib Al Hasan Play in a crucial MI vs. KKR match?