In the fifth game of IPL 2021, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in Chennai – here are some Dream11 fantasy predictions and tips for the game.
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After a win in their first game of the season, Kolkata Knight Riders run into their perennial nemesis, Mumbai Indians, at Chennai, a venue where both sides have already played a game each. The uncharacteristic Chennai wicket and the lopsided head to head record makes this a rather interesting game, especially given how the two sides have started off the season.
Here’s the complete
Head to head record
Overall: MI 21 – 6 KKR
Since 2016: MI 10- 1 KKR
Team record in Chennai
Mumbai Indians: Won 8, Lost 5
Kolkata Knight Riders: Won 3, Lost 7
KKR MI Dream11 Fantasy tips
- Going by the performance of KKR players in the game against SRH could backfire big time as SRH did not have the kind of quick bowlers – high pace and bounce – known to trouble KKR batsmen in their line-up. Mumbai has plenty of them and as such the likes of Nitish Rana and Eoin Morgan are suspect picks.
- Rohit Sharma has a stellar record against Kolkata Knight Riders – average of 46.95 and a strike-rate of 133 – but much of that is down to the true surfaces in Eden and Wankhede. His record against spin still remains suspect, notably against slow left-arm spinner and leg-spinners. Rohit has three dismissals in 32 balls against left-arm orthodox spinners in IPL since 2019. Shakib poses a threat for him, but considering the other batsmen on offer, Rohit is still a decent pick
Predicted XI and match preview for KKR v MI available here.
- Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya are all suspect against bounce and pace, but Russell and Pollard still have a lot of good value. Hardik, without his bowling, is a suspect pick.
- Dinesh Karthik is KKR’s designated death overs batsman, and even with Bumrah in the opposition ranks, he remains a good pick. Karthik has a stellar head to head record against Bumrah and can be banked to take him down, especially at a venue he is pretty familiar with.
- Batsmen are still struggling to pick Varun Chakravarthy and even with good spin players in the MI ranks, he is a good pick.
Rewind: IPL 2020 matches between KKR & MI
Game 1: Mumbai win
Game 2: Mumbai win
KKR MI Dream 11 Team
Potential swaps
De Kock for Pollard
Prasidh for Cummins
Captaincy options in order
Suryakumar, Bumrah, Kishan, Gill, Chakravarthy, Karthik
