KKR VS RR
Image Source: Twitter

KKR vs RR Match Preview- IPL 2021 Match 54. Kolkata Knight Riders lock horns with Rajasthan Royals in the 54th match of IPL 2021 on Thursday. Both these two sides have played against each other once this season. Rajasthan Royals had restricted KKR to 133 runs in the first innings before they chased it down in 18.5 overs.

Mustafizur Rahman picked a four-for and Sanju Samson top-scored with an unbeaten 42 off 41 balls. Both the sides will once again play against each other on Thursday in what will be their last league stage match. Here’s a look at how these two sides have performed this season.

KKR vs RR Match Preview- IPL 2021 Match 54

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders (Image Credit: Twitter)

KKR find themselves at number four on the points table. They have 6 wins in 13 matches and needs to win one more game to reach the playoffs.  KKR would be riding high on confidence and would be desperate to win their next game. They have had a great second leg campaign, having managed to win four matches out of 6 in UAE. They played the last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad and won that game by 6 wickets.

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Their bowlers bowled at great areas and didn’t allow the opposition to develop partnerships. As a result of that, Sunrisers Hyderabad could only manage to score 115 runs in the first innings. Tim Southee and Shivam Mavi made a great start with the ball before Shakib Al-Hasan, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy kept the batsmen guessing with their guile and turn in the middle overs. Southee, Mavi and Chakravarthy all picked two wickets each.

Kolkata didn’t make a strong start in the second innings, having lost Tripathi and Venkatesh Iyer inside the first seven overs. However, Shubman Gill didn’t allow SRH to come back into the game. The KKR opener played some gorgeous shots en-route to his 51-ball 57-run knock, including 10 fours. His knock ensured KKR chased down the score in 19.4 overs.

Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2021
Rajasthan Royals. Image Credits: BCCI

Facing them are Rajasthan Royals, who are languishing at seventh on the points table. Sanju Samson and Co. have only managed to win 5 games this season. They still have one game remaining but their chances of making the qualifiers are zero to none.

Rajasthan have blown hot and cold this season. They have shown glimpses of brilliance but lacked consistency. Injuries to their key players haven’t kept them in good stead.

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The Royals are coming into this encounter on the back of an 8-wicket defeat at the hands of Mumbai Indians. Their batting unit succumbed to some impressive bowling from the likes of Neesham, Coulter-Nile and Jasprit Bumrah. None of the batsmen could step up in an important game as Rajasthan could only muster 90 runs in the first innings.

Muztafizur Rahman and Chetan Sakariya picked one wicket each in the second innings but Ishan Kishan was just sensational. His half-century meant Mumbai chased down the target in just 8.2 overs. Rajasthan Royals would be playing their next game against Kolkata on the same track in Sharjah. They certainly know the conditions and are likely to play a lot better than the last game.