Mustafizur Rahman
Mustafiz uncertain for Zimbabwe ODI series decider
Bangladesh will take on Zimbabwe on Sunday in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Harare Sports Club.
After a 155-run victory in the series opener, Bangladesh are targeting a series win in the second match, in which Mustafizur Rahman is unlikely to play due to an injury.
Read: Mustafiz uncertain in Zimbabwe series opener
"We had a tough game in the series opener," Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal told the media Saturday. "Liton played superbly in the first match; Afif's innings was crucial. Miraz also batted well. We always ask the young guys to step forward and win games for the team."
Bangladesh had lost four wickets in 74 runs in the first match, but Liton Das stood tall at the other end of the wicket and guided the team to 276 runs. He perished on 102 runs, which earned him the player of the match award.
"Had not Liton and Afif played that innings, we could not have scored more than 270. I believe these contributions make the difference," he added.
Read: Shakib, Mustafiz join national team ahead of SL series
Along with Mustafiz, Tamim has also been suffering from an injury he sustained during the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League last month.
"I took a bit of risk to play this series, and Mustafiz is still not fully fit – his chance is 50-50 for this match. Liton also has niggles, but he will be available for the second ODI," Tamim said.
These three matches are part of the World Cup Super League; the top seven teams of it, and the hosts India, will qualify for the World Cup 2023 directly.
Read:14-day quarantine must for Shakib, Mustafizur
Tamim had earlier said they were looking forward to winning all matches of this series to secure 30 points for the Super League.
Shakib, Mustafizur unlikely to play in the remainder of IPL 2021
The 14th edition of the IPL was postponed to the end of April due to a massive outbreak of epidemic coronavirus in India. The BCCI had to take that decision as several cricketers were infected with the coronavirus. The rest of the postponed tournament will take place in September in the UAE. Bangladesh will be playing multiple international series at the same time, that's why the BCB does not want to give a no-objection certificate to Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman. This article discusses why Shakib and Mustafizur will not be given NOC for playing in the remainder of IPL 2021.
The probable reason why BCB is reluctant to give NOC to Shakib and Mustafizur
The much-anticipated seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup will take place in the months of November and December. To put it another way, this ICC mega-event will take place in five months. India is the host nation of this year's event, but due to the Corona crisis, it might be staged in the United Arab Emirates or any other country in the Middle East.
Read: ICC announces major changes to cricket world cup format
The BCB is serious about the ICC T20 World Cup. Bangladesh will play a number of international series both at home and overseas to prepare the cricketers well in the next four months. Besides, the Dhaka Premier League T20 Cricket League is being held in June and the cricketers will be busy with this domestic league. Therefore, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has determined that players will not be permitted to partake in any other franchise league outside of Bangladesh at this time.
Several Bangladeshi cricketers have been picked to play in the Pakistan Super League, Indian Premier League, and Caribbean Premier League. No Bangladeshi cricketer will participate in the PSL which will resume on June 7. There is no possibility of any Bangladeshi cricketer participating in the Caribbean Premier League in August-September and the rest of IPL 2021 in September as well.
The world's best all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan has got the opportunity to participate in all of the franchise tournaments. But he will not play in these franchise leagues owing to a simultaneous international schedule. In this year's IPL, Shakib played only three matches for Kolkata.
On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman has been one of the best performers for Rajasthan Royals in the 12th season of the IPL. Mustafiz played in every match for Rajasthan before the IPL was postponed. No doubt, the Rajasthan team will be dissatisfied if they don't obtain this left-arm quick bowler.
The second phase of the unfinished IPL 2021 may resume on September 19, and the final may be held on October 10.
Read: DPL T20 2021: Shakib Al Hasan Shines in First Round
The BCB president recently informed a private TV channel why he is hesitant to provide Shakib and Mustafiz a no-objection certificate. Given Bangladesh's hectic international cricket schedule in the next few months, NazmulHasanPapon believes it is not reasonable to allow these two players to participate in the IPL. Because, in his opinion, every series leading up to the World Cup is crucial.
Prior to the T20 World Cup, the Bangladesh national cricket team will tour Zimbabwe next July to play a series consisting of Test, ODI, and T20I. After that, they will play ODI and T20 series against England, a five-match T20 series against Australia, and a three-match T20 series against New Zealand.
Bottom Line
The Bangladesh Cricket Board intends to properly prepare the national team for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The cricket board hopes to improve the cricketers both physically and mentally in the following four months. In that circumstance, it's important to keep an eye on the cricketers at all times. Because a slight mistake might lead to serious injury to players. So even if there is an opportunity, the BCB does not want to allow the players to play in any outside franchise league at the moment.
Read: Top 5 Most Followed Athletes Across Social Media Platforms
Ban vs SL 2021: How Bangladesh can clinch the ODI series against Sri Lanka
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman will play in the ODI series against Sri Lanka that means a full-strength Bangladesh team will play in the upcoming 3-match ODI series, which will not be pleasant for the opponents. Because Sri Lanka lags behind Bangladesh in terms of strength in limited-overs cricket. In addition, Bangladesh are a difficult opponent in their own backyard. However, Sri Lanka are gaining confidence as a couple of senior players will make a comeback to the squad. Overall, cricket fans are waiting for a thrilling contest. This article discusses how Bangladesh can clinch the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Here are five things Bangladesh need to do to win the series against Sri Lanka
The 3 matches ODI series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will start later this month. The first match will be held on May 23 at the SBNCS, Mirpur and the rest of the matches will take place at the same venue on May 25 and May 28 respectively.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka ODI series 2021: Expected personal milestones to Reach
Veteran Tamim Iqbal's visionary captaincy
Tamim Iqbal is still learning the ropes as a leader. He needs more time in order to mature as a captain. Tamim should not be afraid to make critical decisions when needed. Tamim Iqbal is a reserved person, but he needs to be more constructive if he is to lead the team. He must inspire the bowlers and extend his decision-making, especially when fielding. The captain's personality may have an impact on the team's performance. That's why the emphasis should be on his efforts that motivate the team to succeed. Tamim Iqbal will advance one step further in his captaincy if Bangladesh win the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Making an effective plan for each match
Having a proper game plan and using an effective strategy is important in ODI cricket. To succeed in the limited-overs format, you must first understand the opponent's weaknesses before putting together the best playing 11 for the contest. Bangladesh have a very strong spin attack and Sri Lankan spinners are equally good as well. In that situation, the tigers' team management must formulate a coherent strategy to defeat the Lankans. Bangladeshi pacers have lately performed better than spinners, which is great news for the team tigers'. They now have a lot of options for pace bowling. It is possible to do well in the ODI series against Sri Lanka if the strategy is properly implemented. In this case, the commitment of the players is important, and the team manager must assume responsibility.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka series 2021: ODI Ranking Prediction
Forming big partnerships for a winnable total
After scoring a half-century, Bangladeshi batsmen usually lose focus. It is extremely disappointing that cricketers have yet to develop the mentality of playing long innings. Big partnerships will be vital if Bangladesh want to whitewash Sri Lanka for the first time. Players should not be content with just a fifty. They must concentrate on making a score of a hundred or even a hundred and fifty. If Bangladesh bat first, they should aim to score high. The opposition team will be under pressure if Bangladesh post a huge total to defend. Batsmen must improve their fighting instinct, particularly when they are under extreme pressure. Then we can expect positive outcomes from the match.
Focus on getting all the wickets of the opponent
A team must be capable of taking all ten wickets to win ODIs on a regular basis. Thankfully, Bangladesh are now one of the toughest one-day international sides in the world, with enough quality bowlers to threaten any batting line-up. Spinners typically have the advantage on subcontinent pitches. Therefore, the Bangladeshi spinners must bear most of the responsibility in the series against Sri Lanka. Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, and Mahadi Hasan all can put the Lankan batters under a lot of pressure. Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, and Taskin Ahmed are all capable pacers who can put the Lankan batsmen on the back foot. Therefore, picking up all ten wickets would not be a difficult task if Bangladesh bowlers play to their full ability.
Minimize fielding errors
Bangladesh's fielders have been underwhelming since resuming international cricket in January. Players are now making a lot of errors in ground fielding, they are dropping catches, and sometimes appearing uninterested at times. All of these are worrying matters, particularly when playing international cricket. At any level of cricket, players must keep their attention on fielding. They must always be proactive on the ground because one massive mistake could cost them the match.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Key ODI Records
Bottom Line
Bangladesh are now one of the strong ODI teams in the world. Bangladesh have been doing well in the limited-overs home series as well as in major ICC events. Every match is very important as the series against the Lankans is part of the ICC ODI World Cup Super League. Not just Bangladesh can clinch the ODI series against Sri Lanka, they will even try to whitewash the Lankans as each match is worth ten points. So, we can expect every match will be exciting.
BCB trying to relax quarantine rules for Shakib, Mustafiz
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is trying to convince the government to relax the quarantine rules for Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, the board's CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said Saturday.
Shakib and Mustafiz returned home from India on Thursday, and are under a 14-day institutional quarantine in Dhaka.
Both players were playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was suspended as some cricketers had tested positive for Covid-19.
Although the government's Covid protocol requires all the inbound passengers to go through a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, the general protocol is not supposed to apply to athletes, Nizamuddin said.
Also read: Shakib, Mustafizur return to Dhaka
"We are not expecting any special arrangement or privilege for Shakib and Mustafiz. The Covid protocol followed by our country is for general people. But it is different for the international players.
"The general protocol is for people who come to the country by passenger flight after receiving a Covid negative certificate, but Shakib and Mustafiz returned home in a chartered flight and maintained a tight protocol," the BCB CEO added.
He also said the board was working closely with the health authority to minimise the quarantine period of these two cricketers.
The BCB earlier urged the health authority to reduce the period of quarantine for them, but the Directorate General of Health Services declined the request.
Also read: 14-day quarantine must for Shakib, Mustafizur
The Tigers are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting May 23.
If the authority stays firm to not reduce the quarantine period of Shakib and Mustafiz, the players will have to stay in institutional quarantine till May 19. This means they will get only four days to practice ahead of the series.
The Tigers recently played a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka and lost it 1-0.
Bangladesh's last ODI series was in New Zealand where they lost the series 3-0 to the hosts.
Shakib, Mustafizur return to Dhaka
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman arrived in Dhaka from India.
They were playing Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
A special flight, carrying Shakib and Mustafizur, landed in Dhaka at 3:30pm on Thursday. They now will have to maintain a strict 14-day quarantine in a Dhaka hotel.
The latest edition of IPL has been suspended indefinitely after the Covid-19 hit the event.
On May 3, two of Shakib’s KKR teammates tested positive for Covid-19. More players from several IPL franchises have were also found positive for the deadly virus and the authority was forced to suspend the league indefinitely.
Shakib and Mustafizur, however, were stuck in India as the Bangladesh authority imposed a ban on the flights from India to stop the transmission of the virus. The wo crickets had to wait for two days to return home.
Shakib and Mustafizur are drafted in the preliminary squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting on May 23.
Both of them missed the Sri Lanka tour for a two-match Test series that took place in Sri Lanka. They were on leave to take part in IPL.
Shakib Al Hasan vs Mustafizur Rahman: Who is the most successful player in IPL?
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman are the two best cricketers in Bangladesh. Shakib has been one of the best all-rounders in the world over the past several years. In 2015, he became the first cricketer to top the ICC all-rounder rankings in all formats at the same time. On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman stunned the cricketing world in 2015 with impressive performances against Pakistan, India, and South Africa. These two cricketers are regular participants in IPL tournaments. This article analyzes the performances of Shakib and Mustafizur in the cash-rich franchise league to identify who is the most successful player in IPL?
Shakib and Mustafiz's IPL performances based on stats
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman have been key players for their respective teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in recent years. Mustafizur made his IPL debut in 2016 for Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Shakib made his debut in 2011 for Kolkata Knight Riders. Both players have also won IPL titles with their respective teams.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Key ODI Records
IPL Trophy
Shakib Al Hasan has won the IPL trophy twice in his 9-year career. Shakib won the IPL trophy with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2012 and 2014 seasons. Shakib was also a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team that finished second in the Indian Premier League in 2018.
On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman won the title for Sunrisers Hyderabad in his first season, in 2016. He was a member of the Hyderabad franchise in the 2017 season as well. Mustafizur also played for the Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians in 2018 and the Rajasthan Royals in 2021.
Batting & Bowling Record
Shakib Al Hasan Batting Performance in IPL
Match
Runs
HS
Ave
SR
100
50
6s
66
784
66*
20.63
124.84
0
2
21
Shakib Al Hasan Bowling Performance in IPL
Match
Wkts
BBM
Ave
SR
Econ
5W
CT
66
61
3/17
28.40
22.75
7.49
0
12
Mustafizur Rahman Batting Performance in IPL
Match
Runs
HS
Ave
SR
100
50
6s
31
01
01
1.00
14.28
0
0
0
Mustafizur Rahman Bowling Performance in IPL
Match
Wkts
BBM
Ave
SR
Econ
5W
CT
31
32
3/16
28.40
22.15
7.69
0
04
Sources: https://www.iplt20.com/
Shakib Al Hasan had his best IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018. In 17 matches, he scored 239 runs at a strike rate of 121.31. Shakib also took 14 wickets at an economy rate of 8.
On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman had his best IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016. The Fizz took 17 wickets with an average of 24.76 and a 6.90 economy rate.
When comparing the figures of the two players, it can be seen that Mustafizur Rahman's contribution in bowling is relatively better than Shakib's. On the other hand, Shakib has scored some runs with the bat since he is an all-rounder. But Shakib has not been as aggressive as a T20 batsman in the Indian Premier League.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2021: Bangladesh Team Report Card
Performance in the championship matches
Shakib Al Hasan was a crucial player for Kolkata in both the 2012 and 2014 finals. Kolkata reached the target with 3 balls to spare after chasing 200 runs in 2012 final against Kings XI Punjab. In that match, Shakib scored 12 runs off 7 balls. But it was his balling that thrived in the championship match. Shakib was the most economical (4 - 0 - 26 - 0) among the Kolkata bowlers.
Two years later, all-rounder Shakib played an important role once again in the final against Chennai in 2014. Batted first, Chennai scored 190 runs for the loss of three wickets. Shakib bowled three overs and took one wicket for 25 runs. Shakib contributed to Kolkata's victory by playing an unbeaten innings of 11 * off 7 balls after losing the wicket of Yusuf Pathan at the crucial moment.
On the other hand, in 2016, Sunrisers Hyderabad batted first and scored 208 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. In reply, Royal Challengers Bangalore only managed to score 200 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Mustafiz didn't bat in the final. He took the wicket of Shane Watson in his 4 overs spell and gave away 36 runs.
Read: BAN v SL ODI 2021: How Bangladesh Can Rank Top in ICC ODI Super League
Verdict
Shakib Al Hasan is believed to be ahead of Mustafizur Rahman in terms of having an impact on a team's success. Shakib has just two half-centuries and has yet to complete a thousand runs despite appearing in more than 50 IPL matches. He has also 61 wickets at an economy rate of 7.49. On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman has appeared in five IPL tournaments and has taken 32 wickets in 31 matches with an economy rate of 7.69. Mustafizur was named the best emerging player in 2016 following a stellar season with Sunrisers Hyderabad. But Shakib should be regarded as the most successful player in IPL since he was outstanding for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018 and made an impact in both finals for Kolkata.
14-day quarantine must for Shakib, Mustafizur
Bangladesh cricket stars— Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman— are set to return home from India within 48 hours, and right after arriving in Dhaka, they will have to maintain a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a government-specified institute, confirmed the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The duo were playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was postponed on Tuesday after some players tested positive for Covid-19. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has earlier applied to DGHS to relax quarantine for these two, but DGHS said they have no choice but to maintain a quarantine period.
Currently, there is no flight operational between India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh authority has put international flights with India on hold aiming to avoid the risk of bringing Covid-19 infected people to Bangladesh.
Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the chief executive officer of BCB, has said Shakib and Mustafizur will have to return home with a special arrangement. He, however, didn’t specify what the special arrangement would be to bring them back home.
BCB is eager to ensure the service of these two in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka which will take place later in May. BCB has already announced a preliminary squad for this series which includes both Shakib and Mustafizur.
Bangladesh’s last international assignment was in Sri Lanka where they played two Tests. The first match of the series ended in a draw, the other game was won by the hosts by 209 runs.
Bangladesh returned home on Tuesday from Sri Lanka. After arriving in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s head coach Russell Domingo talked to the media. While talking about Shakib and Mustafizur, he said their inclusion is vital for Bangladesh to win the series against Sri Lanka at home.
“It’s good to have Shakib and Mustafizur back (in the team). The next series will be important as (World Cup) qualification points are up for grabs. We need to bounce back after a tough series in New Zealand,” Domingo told the media.
“It's good to be playing in the home conditions again. As I said, it's good to get experienced players like Shakib and Mustafiz back. We will be playing against a very dangerous side. So, we have to play really well to beat them,” Domingo added saying that the team will practice for three days before the Eid vacation.
Rajasthan taste first win with much-improved bowling performance
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman took 2/29 as his team Rajasthan Royals bounced back with a much-improved bowling performance to score their first points in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Thursday.
Chris Morris hit an 18-ball 36 with four sixes to lead the team to a three-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.
In their first outing, Mustafiz returned unflattering figures of 0/45 off 4 overs, as Rajasthan's bowlers were flayed around the park as KL Rahul's Punjab Kings piled on 221/6 off their allotted overs. Rajasthan ended up losing a high-scoring thriller by just 4 runs.
In Thursday's game, Rajasthan won the toss and opted to bowl first again.
As part of a new gameplan that clearly seemed to work better, Mustafiz didn't take the new ball, instead coming on to bowl right after the Powerplay. By then, Delhi were already rattled, having fallen to 3/36 as Jaydev Unadkat, introduced into the team today as a third left-arm seamer, ran through the Delhi top order with the new ball. He finished with immaculate figures of 3/15 off 4 overs.
Mustafiz too had an immediate impact, taking a wicket in his first over - Australian Andrew Stoinis all at sea against an old special, the off cutter, looping an easy catch to mid-off. His second scalp would come at the death, with Englishman Tom Curran playing all over another delivery that seemed to take forever to arrive, beating everything but the stumps.
Delhi were restricted to a sub-par 147/8 off their 20 overs. In a remarkable turnaround from the game against Punjab, no Rajasthan bowler conceded a single 6.
In reply however, Rajasthan lost four wickets for just 36 runs, and looked set to make a meal of the relatively small chase. Chris Woakes removed the openers – Jos Buttler and Manan Vohra – in three balls of the third over. Number five batsman David Miller smashed a 43-ball 62 with seven fours and two sixes to keep the dream alive for Rajasthan.
In the last three overs, Rajasthan needed to score 34 runs to seal the game. Tom Curran conceded only seven runs off the 18th over, and Rajasthan needed 27 off the last two overs. That was the cue for Chris Morris to now step up to the plate, which he did with aplomb, facing the next 10 balls and hitting 4 of them for 6.
Kagiso Rabada gave away 15 runs in the 19th over as Morris hit two big sixes.
In the last over, Curran failed to defend 12 runs as Morris hit two more sixes to seal the game with two balls to play.
It was a win set up by the bowlers however, and Unakat deservingly got the man of the match award.
‘We can win in Sri Lanka even without Shakib, Mustafizur,’ says Mominul
Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque said they are confident of winning the two-match series in Sri Lanka even without the service of Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman who are busy playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
A 21-member preliminary Test squad of Bangladesh is all set to fly to Sri Lanka on Monday for a two-match Test series against the hosts. The series will begin on April 21 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy. Both the matches will take place at the same venue.
Bangladesh’s last tour was to New Zealand where the Tigers failed to come victorious in any of six limited-over matches against the hosts. Now they are in dire need to bounce back.
Shakib and Mustafizur would have been Bangladesh’s biggest weapons in the Sri Lanka tour. But the Tigers are set to miss their service as both of them were allowed to skip this tour for IPL. Despite their absence, Mominul believes that Bangladesh has the ability to outplay Sri Lanka.
Also read: Bangladesh preliminary Test squad to fly for Sri Lanka Monday noon
“I don’t think we cannot win without Shakib and Mustafizur,” Mominul told the reporters on Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium after a practice session. “We have more players in our team. They don’t have 10-12 hands (to play better than others). We also don’t have many hands. I don’t think their absence will make any impact. We couldn’t come up as a team in recent time and that’s why we have been failing to bring the result to tour favour. This is as simple as it.”
Mominul led the Tigers in six Tests so far, and the Tigers lost in all occasions except one against Zimbabwe. The other five matches were part of the World Test Championship. The forthcoming Sri Lanka series is also a part of the same event.
Mustafiz's Rajasthan vs Shakib's Kolkata: Which team has the best chance to win the IPL 2021?
The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League will begin on Friday (April 9) and the championship match of this tournament will be held on May 30 at Ahmedabad's Motera Stadium. This year's tournament will feature a total of 8 teams and will be held in six different venues. Last season, no Bangladeshi cricketer participated in the IPL, but this year's edition will feature Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman. Shakib will represent Kolkata Knight Riders, while Mustafizur will play for Rajasthan Royals for the first time. Let's see which team has the best chance to win the IPL 2021?
Rajasthan vs Kolkata: Who has the upper hand in terms of team strength?
It's important to have an understanding of the squad when assessing title contenders. Let's take a look at both squads and examine their overall strength.
Batting
Rajasthan Royals
David Miller, Liam Livingstone, and Jos Butler are the three destructive overseas batsmen for Rajasthan Royals. The only two prominent Indian batsmen in Rajasthan's squad are Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal. They'll have to play with more responsibility since there aren't many alternatives in the Rajasthan squad. On the other side, Kolkata have a slight advantage in terms of batting ability.
Also read; Mustafizur gets BCB nod to play in IPL
Kolkata Knight Riders
In the batting department, Kolkata have England captain Eoin Morgan and New Zealand wicket-keeper Tim Seifert in the foreign quota. These two are very effective batsmen in limited-overs cricket. Besides, Morgan is also one of the best captains in the world right now. Among the Indians, Kolkata have well-known batsmen like Rahul Tripathi, Karan Nair, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, and veteran Dinesh Karthik. Overall, the Kolkata squad has some reliable top and middle-order batsmen.
Read How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline.
Which team is stronger in batting?
Kolkata Knight Riders
Bowling
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals are considered to have the worst spin attack in this year's IPL as Mayank Markande and K. C. Cariappa are the only two young spinners for the Royals. They do, however, have a potent pace attack led by Bangladeshi left-arm medium-fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, Andrew Tye of Australia, Jofra Archer of England, and local lad Jaydev Unadkat. If Cutter Master Mustafiz gets into his rhythm in the tournament, he could be a trump card for Rajasthan. Bangladesh cricket fans are eagerly waiting to see Mustafiz's bowling prowess in the IPL.
Read Bangladesh's five most memorable overseas ODI wins
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata have formed their pace attack with the inclusion of Australia's Pat Cummins, New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson, and India's Kamlesh Nagarkoti. Considering India's spin-friendly pitches, Kolkata have included four world-class spinners. They are Sunil Narayan, Varun Chakraborty, Kuldeep Yadav, and veteran Harbhajan Singh. Kolkata have arguably the best spin attack in the tournament.
Read Mashrafe Mortaza drops a bombshell over his alleged T20 retirement in 2017
Which team is stronger in bowling?
Kolkata Knight Riders
All-Rounder
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals includes England's best player Ben Stokes. This marquee all-rounder can become a nightmare to opposition teams. Rajasthan Royals have also included solid performers like Chris Morris, Rahul Tewatia, and Shivam Dube in the squad. Chris Morris is currently one of the best all-rounders in the T20 format. Morris is an all-rounder on par with England's Ben Stokes. Rajasthan will undoubtedly need these two players to perform consistently if they are to progress to the IPL 2021 playoffs.
Read Memorable Match Winning Knocks in Tests
Kolkata Knight Riders
In the all-rounder category, Kolkata Knight Riders have included India's Shivam Mavi, Australia's Ben Cutting, Windies Power Hitter Andre Russell, and world no.1 Shakib Al Hasan. Among them, Andre Russell was Kolkata's best player in the last three seasons. So the Knight Riders will have a lot of expectations from him. On the other hand, Shakib will try to achieve success and showcase his true potential in this year's IPL. Shakib has an amazing ability to shine when the team needs him the most. Kolkata haven't won an IPL trophy after 2014, therefore Shakib and Russell will have to take on a lot more responsibility to reclaim the title for the knight riders.
Which team is stronger in the all-rounder category?
Both teams are equally strong
Read Shakib's 34th Birthday: 34 achievements to celebrate the no.1 all-rounder
Bottom Line
In terms of team strength, the Kolkata Knight Riders are slightly ahead of the Rajasthan Royals. As a result, Shakib Al Hasan's Kolkata are one of the hot favorites to win the 14th edition of the IPL. According to statistics, teams' probabilities of reaching the IPL play-off round increase if they can retain consistency in the middle of the tournament. In that case, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals would want to finish the league stage in top form. So, by the middle of the tournament, it will be clear which team has the best chance to win the IPL 2021? However, Bangladesh cricket supporters will cheer for both teams.
Read How Can Bangladesh directly qualify for the world cup 2023?