Qualifier
Photo by: Prashant Bhoot /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the second qualifier of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) 2018 edition on Friday (May 25). Thus, the hosts will definitely have the home advantage under their belt.

Furthermore, Men in Purple also riding high on confidence after winning four matches on the trot.

On the other hand, Sunrisers have veered off the track after a fine start to the season. The Orange Army has lost their last four matches. However, it is an even battle between these two teams if we consider the head-to-head in this season. Both of them won one match each in the league stages.

Let’s take a look at some stats which can be made and broken in the qualifier two of the IPL 2018:

4- Sunrisers has lost their last four consecutive matches. Before this bad streak, the Orange Army didn’t even lose two back-to-back matches in the league stages.

KKR
SRH and KKR perform customary handshakes. Photo by: Prashant Bhoot /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

5-1 Sunrisers doesn’t have an impressive record while playing at Eden Gardens. They have lost five matches at the venue while they have won a solitary contest.

However, that win came in this season.

25- Bhuvneshwar Kumar has scalped 25 wickets while playing against Knight Riders which is the maximum for any bowler.

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In fact, SRH deputy is the only bowler to take more than 20 wickets against KKR.

Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Photo by: Prashant Bhoot /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

SRH pack leader has bowled with an impressive average of 17.52 in the 17 matches against KKR.

Furthermore, Bhuvi has taken 12 wickets in the six matches he has played at Eden Gardens against Knight Riders

84- Sunil Narine has bowled with an average of 84 in the playoff matches.

The Windies spinner has scalped only three wickets in the eight playoff matches at an economy of 7.88.

In the eliminator contest against Rajasthan Royals (RR), the mystery spinner leaked 39 runs without taking a wicket. This was the first instance when Narine didn’t take any wicket at Eden Gardens.

435- Robin Uthappa has scored 435 runs while playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The flamboyant batsman is only the second player to score more than 400 runs against Orange Army. RCB skipper Virat Kohli with 485 runs is the other player.

Uthappa
Robin Uthappa (Photo Credits: IPL/BCCI)

Robin Uthappa has scored his runs at an average of 30 in 14 matches. Thus if Uthappa scores 51 more runs in an eliminator, he will leapfrog Kohli.

3,998- Shikhar Dhawan needs only two more runs to complete 4,000 IPL runs.

Dhawan will become the eighth player to complete 4000 runs. However, the southpaw needs 78 more runs to complete 6,000 Twenty20 runs.

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