Richard Mann previews Sunday's action from the IPL where Kolkata Knight Riders host reigning champions Chennai Super Kings.
Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings
- When: Sunday April 13 11:30
- Where to watch: Sky Channel 792 and BT Sport 3
- Odds: KKR 10/11 Super Kings evens
Sunday sees two of the powerhouses of IPL 2019 lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders hosting Chennai Super Kings in a must-see clash.
Chennai lifted the IPL title last year and are currently sitting pretty at the top of the league table following a strong start to the current campaign which has only seen them taste defeat once in seven matches.
Nevertheless, they have been far from flawless with Shane Watson and Suresh Raina yet to really find their destructive best at the top of the order while their ageing fielding side has looked stretched at times.
That is counterbalanced by a brilliant spin attack - led by the wily Imran Tahir - which has bags of experience, variety and skill and has been allowed to develop and flourish within a franchise that puts the 'team' first and seemingly breeds success.
The Super Kings could be a lesson to the likes of Royal Challengers Bangalore, but not Sunday's opponents, Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Knight Riders currently sit in second spot in the league table and though much of their early-season success has been built on the brilliance of Andre Russell, the likes of Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine have begun to spring into life in recent weeks and they look a formidable outfit going forward.
A cracking match in prospect.
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Delhi Capitals
- When: Sunday April 13 15:30
- Where to watch: Sky Channel 792 and BT Sport 3
- Odds: Sunrisers 8/13 Dehli 11/8
The final game of the weekend sees last year's runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad take on the Dehli Capitals.
As ever, the Sunrisers look to have most bases covered with their excellent bowling attack led by brilliant Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan and the batting boasting the likes of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow.
A strong start to this year's competition saw the Sunrisers take their usual position towards the top of the league table but they come into this match in the midst of a mini-crisis having lost their last two.
Expect them to bounce back sooner rather than later but the air of invincibility the 2016 IPL winners once had seems to have been lost now and their bowling, at one time peerless, isn't quite as frightening nowadays.
The improving Dehli Capitals travel to Hyderabad on Sunday and with coach Ricky Ponting building something for the future with the visitors, they are a dangerous outfit for anyone to face.
Their batting is imposing with a handy mix of international experience and youthful exuberance and the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan have all come to the fore in recent weeks.
The bowling is beginning to look more settled, too, with South African pacer Kagiso Rabada continuing to impress and wrist-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane looking a potential match-winner.
Dehli are not to be underestimated and with the Sunrisers coming into this with a few questions to answer, they could easily claim another big scalp.
