IPL 2018: Match 16, Kings XI Punjab vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - Expectation vs Reality

Third-ranked Kings XI Punjab will face table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad at their home ground in Mohali. While the former will take confidence from the victory they managed to sneak in despite a dominating show from MS Dhoni, they will also be wary of the challenge SRH can present.

Kings XI Punjab is currently cruising with performances from strong batting line-up while Sunrisers Hyderabad has done well in all departments of the game and have very few chinks in their armor. It will be interesting to see how newly appointed skippers, Kane Williamson and Ravichandran Ashwin, lay down their respective modus operandi against each other.

Sunrisers are unlikely to tinker with their match-winning combination but the Kings’ decision regarding Aaron Finch who now has two ducks in two games and Yuvraj Singh, who has looked off-color, will be one to see. Until then we have some expectations from the match, what are yours?

No show from Gayle

This expectation is based purely out of the instinct and record that Gayle has had against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was at his absolute best against Chennai Super Kings in the previous game but against Hyderabad, he will show why his inconsistency can be painful for the team.

Sandeep Sharma, who earlier used to play for KXIP, is now in the squad for SRH but may perhaps miss the game despite having a terrific time against Gayle, having dismissed him four times. Nonetheless, he averages less than 25 against this side for a reason, and that is likely to be understood tomorrow.

Rashid vs Mujeeb

One of the most interesting face-offs this season will be when the two mystery spinners from Afghanistan face each other. Regardless of who comes out victorious in the result, it will be a sight to watch who dominates the other in terms of the wickets and impact. While Mujeeb currently has 3 wickets in 3 matches, Rashid has 2 in 3.

Who sets up their opponents better and which one among the offie and leggie ends with better figures is hard to predict but expect both of them to take a couple of wickets or more. They have both proven to be strike bowlers for their respective sides but the best of their abilities is yet to be seen. The upcoming match could just be the day for one of the two.

Stay updated on ‘today’s cricket news‘ with CricTracker.com