Last Updated on 4 months by Charbel Coorey

IPL 2021 Match 34: MI vs KKR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | MI vs KOL Dream11 Prediction Today | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

Champions Mumbai Indians are in a bit of a precarious position. The start of phase two was just like the start of a new IPL season for Mumbai, going down to Chennai Super Kings in a game they had total control of in the early stages. Now, they sit right on the edge of the top four with five games remaining, with this one here a very crucial one indeed.

Kolkata Knight Riders, after their thumping victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, sit just two points behind the champions. Also, their huge margin of victory gave them a huge net run rate boost, so much so that victory today will see Eoin Morgan’s team leapfrog Mumbai Indians to sit in fourth. A quite remarkable opportunity for KKR, who were well below par in the first half of the tournament.

However, it can be argued that Mumbai couldn’t have asked for a better game to get their season back on track. They have won 12 of their past 13 matches against KKR in one of the most one-sided head-to-head matchups in IPL. Also, they are back at Abu Dhabi – a ground they dominated at last season, winning six out of eight matches including two dominant wins over KKR. Plus, they are likely to welcome back Rohit Sharma, who has a magnificent record against today’s opponents.

Can KKR turn these numbers around? They managed to do so against RCB – a team whom they have struggled against over the past couple of seasons. If they can manage to do the same here, it will blow the playoffs race wide open with Rajasthan Royals also in the mix after their miracle victory over Punjab on Tuesday night.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Mumbai Indians:

• Rohit Sharma was rested as a precaution against CSK, and should be all good to go here. He simply loves playing against KKR, with 866 runs in 22 innings at a magnificent average of 50.94 and strike rate of 133.64, including 43 (32) against them earlier this season. No player even comes close to Rohit’s 866 runs in MI-KKR matchups.
• Also, Rohit enjoys batting at Abu Dhabi in the IPL. In seven innings, Rohit has struck 264 runs at an average of 37.71 and strike rate of 132.
• Suryakumar Yadav also enjoys playing KKR. The classy right-hander is having an under-par season, so his chance to return to form is here against a team he averages 46.67 against in seven innings (280 runs, strike rate 150.54). This includes three half-centuries.
• Also, SKY has a magnificent record at Abu Dhabi, with 413 runs in 11 innings at an average of 51.63 and strike rate of 165.20.
• Quinton de Kock averages just 19.11 in 10 innings vs KKR in his IPL career. However, he scored 78 against them last season on this ground, and MI will be hoping he can produce something similar here. He averages 30.29 in eight innings at Abu Dhabi (212 runs).
• de Kock prefers to bat second in IPL. Batting first, de Kock averages 27 (39 innings) compared to 37.2 batting second (33 innings).
• If Hardik Pandya is fit, he will return against one of his favourite IPL opponents. In 10 innings vs KKR, Hardik has slammed 299 runs at an average of 59.80 and ridiculous strike rate of 184.57. Also, at Abu Dhabi, Hardik strikes at 186.27 with 190 runs at an average of 47.50.
• Rahul Chahar will be key. The leg-spinner has nine wickets in five matches vs KKR (avg. 15.22), and enjoys bowling at Abu Dhabi (8 inns, 9 wickets, avg. 26.22, SR 20).
• Chahar much prefers to bowl in the second innings of IPL matches, with 29 wickets in 24 such matches at an average of 21.80 and strike rate of 17.8. This is in contrast to his first innings record where he averages 32.5 and strikes every 26.5 deliveries across 14 innings.
• Can Jasprit Bumrah influence this match in a way fans know he can? He averages 31.75 in 13 matches vs KKR, but enjoys bowling on this ground (8 inns, 13 wickets, avg. 16.38, SR 14.77). Also, he loves bowling second in IPL (avg. 20.2) compared to bowling first (avg. 29.6).

Kolkata Knight Riders:

• What a fine debut for Venkatesh Iyer against RCB. The classy left-hander scored 41* off 27 balls, part of a T20 career that makes for impressive reading to date: 23 inns, 765 runs, avg. 38.25, SR 138.33. Also, Iyer is having a superb year overall in T20 cricket, with 268 runs in six innings at an average of 89.33 and strike rate of 149.72.
• Iyer is superb in the second innings of T20 matches. In 17 such outings, Iyer has struck 325 runs at an average of 46.43 and strike rate of 130.52. Batting first, he averages 33.85 with a strike rate of 144.74 (440 runs).
• Shubman Gill loves batting in the second innings of IPL matches. The immensely talented Gill has scored 487 runs in 19 such outings at an average of 40.6 and strike rate of 131.3, including a fluent 34-ball 48 vs RCB.
• Gill averages 25.50 in six innings vs MI (153 runs), and 30.29 in eight innings in Abu Dhabi (212 runs). He is a key player in a key game, so KKR will be hoping he can build on these numbers.
• Andre Russell was outstanding with the ball against RCB (3/9). However, can he influence this game with the bat too? He has scored 183 runs in 10 innings vs MI at an average of 20.33 and strike rate of 144.9. He does have one score of 80, which suggests that he usually struggles against MI. But, a player like Russell can never be discounted.
• Sunil Narine has taken 22 wickets in 17 matches against MI (avg. 20.73, econ. 6.79). Also, he often bowls well on this ground, with 11 wickets in nine matches at an average of 21.91 and strike rate of 19.64.
• Also, Narine averages 21.7 bowling second in IPL compared to 28 bowling first.
• What a performance by Varun Chakravarthy vs RCB. The spinner was player of the match with 3/13 in his four overs on a ground he enjoys bowling at. At Abu Dhabi, Chakravarthy has taken 12 wickets in nine matches at an average of 16 and strike rate of 16.33. Also, he has two wickets in as many matches for KKR vs MI.
• Lockie Ferguson is yet to play against MI in KKR colours. The pace bowler adds another dimension to this KKR attack, and loves bowling on this ground (seven wickets in four matches at an average of 12.29 and strike rate of 13.71). He took 2/24 vs RCB.

Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: Matches 28, MI 22, KKR 6.
• MI have won 12 of their past 13 clashes with KKR, including two dominant wins against them at Abu Dhabi in IPL 2020 (49 runs and 8 wickets).
• Earlier this season, MI sealed a victory from the jaws of defeat vs KKR, defending 152 to win by 10 runs.
• KKR isn’t Kieron Pollard’s favourite opponent. In 17 innings, Pollard has struck 251 runs at a lower strike rate of 117.84 (avg. 25.1). His 105 runs at Abu Dhabi come at a strike rate of 154.41, however.
• MI will look to use Jasprit Bumrah against Andre Russell. In 40 balls bowled to Russell in IPL, Bumrah has conceded just 51 runs and dismissed him three times.
• Adam Milne will have a key role to play against KKR’s talented openers in the powerplay. Milne took 2/21 vs CSK, and was untouchable at times in the powerplay overs.

Possible Playing 11

Trent Boult indicated that both Rohit and Hardik were resting against CSK. Whether they play today remains to be seen. Chances are they will as this is an important game.

Mumbai Indians: 1. Rohit Sharma (c), 2. Quinton de Kock (wk), 3. Suryakumar Yadav, 4. Ishan Kishan, 5. Kieron Pollard, 6. Hardik Pandya/Saurabh Tiwary, 7. Krunal Pandya, 8. Adam Milne, 9. Rahul Chahar, 10. Trent Boult, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

Why change a winning combination? KKR should stick with the same XI. Interestingly, Dinesh Karthik loves batting against Bumrah in the IPL, with 54 runs in 33 balls without a single dismissal.

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1. Shubman Gill, 2. Venkatesh Iyer, 3. Rahul Tripathi, 4. Nitish Rana, 5. Eoin Morgan (c), 6. Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7. Andre Russell, 8. Sunil Narine, 9. Lockie Ferguson, 10. Prasidh Krishna, 11. Varun Chakravarthy

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

RCB were rolled for 92 vs KKR, but that doesn’t indicate that this surface is a poor one for batting. KKR then chased the target in just over 10 overs on a true batting pitch.

The average first innings score at Abu Dhabi in IPL 2020 was 162.5 in 22 matches. The chasing team won 14 of the 22 games, as did KKR in the first match on this ground this season. So, the captain who wins the toss may look to chase.

Get ready for more clear and warm weather.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.

Option 1:

Option 2:

Fan2Play Prediction

Match Prediction

KKR will be confident after their demolition of RCB. However, MI’s record vs KKR and love of Abu Dhabi could prove vital especially if Rohit and Hardik return.

Also read: Fan2Play vs Dream11 – What’s the difference?