Match: Team Kolkata vs Team Gujarat, (KOL vs GUJ, Match 39)

Date: April 29, 2023 – 3:30 PM IST

Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata 

Team Kolkata and Team Gujarat are set to lock horns in the match no. 39 of the Indian T20 League 2023 in the first game of the Saturday double-header. Kolkata will host this return fixture at Eden Gardens on April 29.

Team Kolkata are placed seventh on the table with six points. They have played eight games, winning three and losing five with a net run-rate of -0.027. They ended a four-match losing streak with a 21-run victory over Bangalore away from home.

Jason Roy was magnificent for the second time in a row, smashing 56 off 29 at the top. Nitish Rana scored 48 off 21 while Rinku Singh struck 18 in 10 balls to push the total to 200/5. Bangalore had a blistering start but Suyash Sharma bagged two wickets to push them back. Varun Chakravarthy took 3 for 27 while Andre Russell also picked two wickets.

Hardik Pandya’s Team Gujarat have 10 points to their credit from seven games. They have won five and lost two, with a healthy net run-rate of 0.580. In their most recent fixture, Gujarat hammered Mumbai by 55 runs at home. 

Batting first, Shubman Gill scored 56 off 34 at the top. David Miller and Abhinav Manohar provided them a big boost at the end. Miller smashed 46 off 22 while Manohar struck 42 off 21 as they posted 207/6. Bowlers took control from the get go. Noor Ahmad picked 3 for 37 and Rashid Khan returned 2 for 27 as Gujarat restricted Mumbai to 152/9.

The first clash between the two teams this season was quite memorable. Chasing Rinku Singh smashed five consecutive sixes in the final over as Kolkata chased down 205. Gujarat will be looking for payback on Saturday.

Pitch Report and Weather Forecast for KOL vs GUJ, Match 39

The Eden Gardens in Kolkata is the best batting venue in the Indian T20 League. A total of 28 league matches have been played here since 2017, with the average first innings score reading 182. The venue has hosted three games this season and the team batting first has posted 204, 228 and 235 in those. 

The Kolkata weather could affect this match on Saturday afternoon as there’s a possibility of showers in some parts. There’s a 40% chance of precipitation with 70% cloud cover.  

Team Kolkata – Expected XI and Team News 

Kolkata opened with Jason Roy and N Jagadeesan in the previous game. Jagadeesan had an awful time in the middle and could be demoted. If fit, Shardul Thakur should return. Their go-to impact sub Suyash Sharma has been impressive with the ball.

Probable XI – Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, David Wiese, N Jagadeesan (wk), Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

Team Gujarat – Expected XI and Team News 

Team Gujarat have played Hardik Pandya at number three in the last couple of games, with Sai Sudarshan missing out. Abhinav Manohar has done well in the lower middle order while Noor Ahmad has been terrific with the ball.

Probable XI – Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Joshua Little, Mohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad

Head to Head record of KOL vs GUJ 

Total Encounters – 2

Team Gujarat won – 1

Team Kolkata won – 1 

Best Captaincy Picks for the KOL vs GUJ match

Shubman Gill: Batter, Team Gujarat  

Shubman Gill has been in pretty good form. He has scored 284 runs in the ongoing tournament, averaging 41 at a strike rate of 143. Gill has registered three half centuries in seven innings, including 56 off 34 in the previous game. Gill is a top C/VC option for this game. 

Hardik Pandya: All-rounder, Team Gujarat 

The Gujarat captain has been bowling at full tilt and batting at number three, making him a top captaincy candidate. Hardik didn’t have much success at the beginning of the season but has found his form. He scored 66 off 50 against Lucknow and has picked two wickets in the last three games. 

Andre Russell: All-rounder, Team Kolkata 

Andre Russell hasn’t done much this season but remains a good C/VC option. He bowled a full quota of overs in the previous game and picked 2 for 29. He had bagged 3 for 22 against Hyderabad earlier this season. Russell has a good record in T20 cricket and his all-round value can not be ignored. 

Top Differential Picks 

Rinku Singh: Batter, Team Kolkata 

Rinku Singh has been phenomenal for Kolkata in the lower middle order. He has scored 251 runs from eight games at an average of 63 while striking at 159, including two fifties. He is picked by 39% of the fantasy players and could be a good differential.

Suyash Sharma: Bowler, Team Kolkata 

Suyash Sharma has been the find of the season for Kolkata. He has taken nine wickets in six games at a strike rate of 16. Picked by only 31% of the MPL teams, Suyash can be a great differential.

MPL Fantasy XI 

Where and what time to watch the match live in India 

Star Sports Network has acquired the television rights of the Indian T20 League 2023 while Viacom 18 have bagged the digital rights. You can watch the matches on Star Sports channels or stream online on Jio Cinema. 

Note: The players recommended here need not be a part of the Playing 11 on game day. Users are advised to do their own research also and follow official sources and create their teams.