IPL will see the last third of the season go underway as Mumbai Indians will face Kolkata Knight Riders on 3rd May at the Wankhede stadium. Kolkata is sitting at the 2nd position while Mumbai is struggling at no. 9 with very slim chances of qualifying for the playoffs. The match will start at 8:00 PM BST. Schedule of MI vs KKR Match in IPL 2024  Table: Schedule of MI vs KKR Match Date Time Venue 51 Friday, May 3, 2024 8:00 P.M BST Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Preview of Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 (51st Match) Historically this fixture is dominated by Mumbai Indians. But this time Kolkata Knight Riders will step on the ground as favorites. They have been a well-functioning side since the beginning of the campaign. The opening pair of Phil Salt and Sunil Narine have been performing great. Their destructive opening partnerships along with quick-fire innings from the likes of Andre Russell, Shryeash Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvangshi, and Rinku Singh have helped KKR score 200+ five times already. Wankhede is known for high-scoring encounters and this core of batters will fancy their chances here as well. Read more: Tigers set for New York: T20 World Cup pitches arrive at Nassau County Stadium Mumbai Indians on the other hand has been struggling with only three wins from 10 games this season. Their bowling has been disappointing beyond expectations and has been failing the batters all season. They conceded 200+ four times and 250+ two times this season. Although the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Gerald Coetzee have been doing their part being the highest and 4th highest wicket-takers of this season respectively. Yet it is proving to be nowhere near enough. Their key players like Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, etc. have been performing below their usual level. MI vs KKR H2H Records So Far Table: Head-to-head records between Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Total Matches MI Win KKR Win Tie/NR 32 23 9 0 MI vs KKR H2H at Wankhede So Far Table: Head-to-head records between Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Total Matches MI Win KKR Win Tie/NR 10 9 1 0 Read more: Bangladesh vs India Women’s 3rd T20I 2024: Match Preview Mumbai Indians Squad Table: List of players of the Mumbai Indians Team Players Role Hardik Pandya © Allrounder Dewald Brevis Batting Allrounder Jasprit Bumrah Bowler Piyush Chawla Bowling Allrounder Gerald Coetzee Bowler Tim David Middle Order Batter Harvik Desai Wicketkeeper Batter Shreyas Gopal Allrounder Ishan Kishan Wicketkeeper Batter Anshul Kamboj Allrounder Kumar Kartikeya Bowler Akash Madhwal Bowler Kwena Maphaka Bowler Mohammad Nabi Allrounder Shams Mulani Allrounder Naman Dhir Top Order Batter Shivalik Sharma Batter Rohit Sharma Top Order Batter Romario Shepherd Bowling Allrounder Arjun Tendulkar Bowler Nuwan Thushara Bowler Tilak Verma Batting Allrounder Nehal Wadhera Top Order Batter Luke Wood  Bowler Suryakumar Yadav Batter Read more: India Women secure lead with rain-affected win over Bangladesh Kolkata Knight Riders Squad Table: Players list of Kolkata Knight Riders Team Players Role Shreyas Iyer © Top Order Batter Vaibhav Arora Bowler Srikar Bharat Wicketkeeper Batter Dushmantha Chameera Bowler AM Ghazanfar Bowler Harshit Rana Bowler Venkatesh Iyer Allrounder Sunil Narine Bowling Allrounder Manish Pandey Top Order Batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi Top Order Batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz Wicketkeeper Batter Ramandeep Singh Middle Order Batter Nitish Rana Middle Order Batter Anukul Roy Allrounder Andre Russell Allrounder Sherfane Rutherford Middle Order Batter Chetan Sakariya Bowler Sakib Hussain Bowler Phil Salt Wicketkeeper Batter Rinku Singh Middle Order Batter Mitchell Starc Bowler Suyash Sharma Bowler Varun Chakravarthy Bowler Read more: BCB announces ticket sales for Bangladesh vs. Zimbabwe T20I Series Key Players to Watch in the MI Squad Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah has been one of the only constants of Mumbai Indians this year. He is the highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets currently. 9 of them came from the three matches MI won with an economy of 5.33 only. It is evident how much Bumrah needs to shine for MI to win.  Tilak Varma Tilak Varma has been arguably the best batter of MI this season. He is the highest run-scorer for Mumbai with 343 runs from 10 games averaging 42.87 and striking at 153.81. He also played 3 50+ innings and is the only entrant from Mumbai in the top 10 run-scorer list. Read more: Preview of Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Match of 2024 Key Players to watch in the KKR Squad Sunil Narine Sunil Narine has rediscovered himself in this IPL. The legend of this tournament has found a new life with the bat in hand. He is the 2nd highest run-scorer of KKR with 372 runs striking at a mammoth rate of 181. He also has a century as well. He also picked up 11 wickets with the bowl making him the most impactful player of this KKR side. Phil Salt Phil Salt is KKR’s other destructive opener who scored 392 runs and kept a strike rate of 180.64. He has four fifties which is joint most this season. His opening partnership with Narine has decided many games for KKR this season and it shouldn’t be anything different this time as well. Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Preliminary Squad in the Upcoming BAN vs ZIM T20I Series 2024 Final Words According to statistics Mumbai Indians dominate over Kolkata Knight Riders. However, the situation is different in IPL 2024 where KKR and MI are holding rank 2 and 9 respectively so far.  MI cannot afford to lose any game now if they wish to qualify for the playoffs. On the other hand, KKR will look to strengthen their position at the top of the table with a win in this game.  Therefore, it can be said that it will be challenging for Mumbai Indians to win against a well-polished opponent like Kolkata Knight Riders in the 51st match of the IPL 2024 tournament.  Read more: What lies ahead for Bangladesh spinners under Mushtaq Ahmed's guidance

As the 2023 Indian Premier League draws to a close, the fans are looking to the upcoming playoffs. Following an exciting league stage, the four playoff teams have now been determined after a fierce struggle for qualification. It was an awe-inspiring battle among the seven teams, each fighting tooth and nail to remain in contention for the championship until the very last week. However, only three teams emerged successful. The Gujarat Titans secured their place in the playoffs first, showcasing their dominance by winning the majority of their games. Joining them in the playoff matches are the Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Mumbai Indians, who also demonstrated their spirit and successfully secured spots among the playoff contenders. Team Analysis for IPL 2023 Playoffs The IPL playoffs provide a stage where teams showcase their skills and strategies in intense matches that fascinate millions of fans worldwide. Let’s analyze the four qualified teams in the IPL playoffs in 2023. Gujarat Titans This is Gujarat Titans’ second appearance in the playoffs. They started the IPL journey in 2022 and won the first title in the inaugural year. In IPL 2023, they won 10 matches out of the 14. The Gujarat Titans team showcased a remarkably balanced squad without any noticeable weaknesses. They boosted their team by acquiring seven fresh talents through the auction, resulting in a complete team consisting of 25 players. Read more: Mehidy eyes county cricket opportunity with Warks And we already have seen the results. Players like Mohammed Shami, Shubman Gill, and Rashid Khan showed outstanding performances in the group stage. Mohammed Shami showcased his exceptional bowling skills, which played a vital role in maintaining their competitiveness by taking 24 wickets. Rashid Khan’s spin prowess was equally significant, as he claimed 24 wickets, exerting pressure on their adversaries. Further, Shubman Gill’s 680 runs in 14 appearances were tremendous too. Overall, Gujarat Titans are the most balanced team in IPL 2023, and they have a huge chance to win the title again this year. Chennai Super Kings Chennai Super Kings have an impressive track record, qualifying for the playoffs in 12 out of the total seasons they have participated in. Their exceptional performance has resulted in winning the IPL titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021. After Gujarat Titans, CSK is the second-best balanced team in the IPL 2023. As expected, Chennai Super Kings once again boast an abundance of all-round options in this IPL. Within their top seven, they possessed four exceptional players in the likes of Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shivam Dube. However, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali couldn’t give their best. Read more: Asia Cup Cricket 2023: Analysis of Group A These talented individuals have the ability to alter the course of a match at any given moment, adding a dynamic element to the team’s composition. But this year, Devon Conway has become CSK’s asset as he scored 585 runs and became one of the top five batters in IPL 2023. Ravindra Jadeja also gave his best in the group stage as he took 17 wickets while scoring 153 runs. Lucknow Super Giants In their second appearance in the IPL, Lucknow Super Giants have made significant improvements to their squad since the 2022 season. Lucknow Super Giants geared up for the 2023 season with notable additions such as Nicholas Pooran, Amit Mishra, and Jaydev Unadkat. But Nicholas Pooran seems to be an asset for the team, as he scored 358 and became one of the top three batters for LSG. However, Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers, Ravi Bishnoi, and Mark Wood played their regular game and helped the team reach the playoffs. Further LSG tried some young talents such as Yash Thakur, Naveen-ul-Haq and Prerak Mankad. Apparently, each of these players showed their class even though they appeared in a few matches. They seem to be the key players for Lucknow Super Giants in upcoming seasons. Read more: Bangladesh A earn hardfought draw against West Indies A Mumbai Indians Five times IPL trophy winner Mumbai Indians is considered one of the most successful teams of the IPL tournament. Mumbai Indians won the IPL trophies in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020. Despite their five-time championship legacy, the Mumbai Indians failed to meet expectations in the 2022 edition of the IPL, delivering their poorest performance to date. They concluded the season at the bottom of the points table. But, this year, they seemed to be determined to do better. And all started with some notable changes in the mini-auction. With the presence of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Cameron Green, Tim David, and Rohit Sharma in their squad, Mumbai has a tough batting lineup capable of dismantling any bowling attack on their best days. Piyush Chawla and Jason Behrendorff took care of the bowling side in the group stage. Which Team has a Great Chance of winning IPL 2023? The Gujarat Titans (GT) have a legitimate chance of clinching victory in IPL 2023. Their exceptional performances throughout the season resulted in them securing the top position on the points table. With a remarkable display of strength and consistency, they have positioned themselves as challenging contenders for the championship. Nevertheless, cricket is a game filled with uncertainties, making it challenging to accurately guess match outcomes. The ultimate result will depend upon the Gujarat Titans’ performance during the playoffs, where their ability to deliver under pressure will determine their fate. Read more: Asia Cup Cricket 2023: Analysis of Group B Final Words The Payoffs will start with the qualifier match between Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings on May 23. The team analysis for the IPL 2023 Playoffs reveals a challenging lineup of contenders. The Gujarat Titans, displaying remarkable dominance throughout the season, secured their playoff spot as the frontrunners. Alongside them, the Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Mumbai Indians showcased their resilience and determination, earning their well-deserved positions among the playoff contenders. As the stage is set for the thrilling playoffs, fans eagerly anticipate the clash of these exceptional teams, each competing for the ultimate glory of becoming champions of the IPL 2023 season.

The much-anticipated 16th season of the Indian Premier League will commence on March 31, fighting all ten franchises against one another in a thrilling race to the desired title. Only seven teams have successfully become champions in the past 15 years of IPL, with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings being the most prominent. Four teams have won the IPL title once: Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, the now-defunct Deccan Chargers, and the inaugural champions Rajasthan Royals. The Royals almost won the IPL for the second time last year. On the other hand, no IPL trophy has been grabbed by Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants, the four active teams in the league. So, who may win this year's IPL? Let’s find out some of the former players’ predictions and our predictions about the probable winner of IPL 2023. Read More: IPL 2023: Schedule, Fixtures, Venues, Team List Top Favorite Teams Who Can Win IPL 2023 As the tournament progresses, predictions can no longer remain the same. We may take an educated guess based on a team's performance, but nothing is certain. With that note, we have come out with four teams with a great chance of winning the IPL 2023. Gujarat Titans The Gujarat Titans, the winner of IPL 2022, had a very consistent roster, using fewer players than any other side. They had one of the toughest and most well-rounded bowling squads in the tournament, with a variety of options to choose from in any situation. Their death-overs economy rate was the lowest of the competition, at an astonishing 9.6. Hardik Pandya, David Miller, and Rahul Tewatiya provided invaluable assistance to the team, their persistence in difficult moments earning them victories in unlikely circumstances. These players will be an asset for Gujarat this year. In addition to that, they have bought some highly skilled players such as Shivam Mavi, Joshua Little, and Kane Williamson. Read More: Four Bangladeshi Cricketers to Compete in IPL 2023 Auction Kane Williamson was drafted in by the Gujarat-based side to boost the top order, although questions regarding his health and run rate remain. Gujarat’s possible starting lineup may look like this: Shubhman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Matthew Wade, Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Pandya, David Miller, Rahul Tewatiya, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammad Shami, Alzarri Joseph Gujarat players who can change the momentum: Shivam Mavi, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Jayant Yadav. At the Wankhede Stadium, where bowlers can take advantage of the swinging and seaming conditions in the early stages, Gujarat Titans may be drawn to utilize Mavi, Dayal, or Sangwan as influential individuals based on the competition. Meanwhile, Jayant could be a great help on pitches that are slower, particularly in the Powerplay, as he could provide economical overs. Read More: ‘More experienced’ Chandika aims to find own game plan Mumbai Indians Mumbai Indians supporters would likely prefer to put last season aside when they finished at the bottom of the standings. However, they have been able to acquire the services of two very promising players, Dewald Brevis, and Tilak Verma. The IPL auction 2023 saw a strong bidding war for Cameron Green, who was eventually acquired by Mumbai Indians for 17.50 crores. With Jofra Archer back in the team and forming a bowling partnership with Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai Indians have a strong attack that can challenge any batting lineup. Mumbai Indians’ possible starting lineup may look like this: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Cameron Green, Jofra Archer, Hrithik Shokeen, Kumar Kartikeya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Jason Behrendorff. Read More: IPL 2023: Schedule, Fixtures, Venues, Team List Mumbai players who can change the momentum: Piyush Chawla, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, and Vishnu Vinod. The fact that MI re-signed Piyush Chawla in the auction pointed to one thing: the desire to use his leg-spin for four overs as a game-changing element, something that might not have been possible otherwise. Arjun and Arshad could be of great benefit when encountering right-arm fast bowlers or batting orders vulnerable to left-arm bowlers. Vishnu Vinod, a powerful hitter, can be employed in close matches where teams are required to bolster their batting. Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: Bangladesh ODI Squad Analysis Chennai Super Kings Apparently, it is Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s last IPL. So, he will surely try to make it memorable by winning the tournament. Chennai, four-time IPL title holders, had a disastrous campaign last year, limping to a ninth-place finish with only four victories. Chennai supporters are eagerly anticipating the return of the traditional home-and-away format this year, hoping their team will be stronger in their home ground Chepauk, restoring its former glory and making it a solid stronghold.  The team invested 16.25 crore in acquiring Ben Stokes, who will bring both tangible and intangible benefits to the squad. There is even speculation that MS Dhoni might be handing over the captaincy reigns to Stokes. Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: Key ODI Records, Who Holds Advantage in Records So Far Chennai Super Kings' possible starting lineup may look like this: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ben Stokes, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dubey, MS Dhoni, Deepak Chahar, Mahesh Theekshana, and Mukesh Chaudhary Chennai players who can change the momentum: Simarjit Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Prashant Solanki, and Rajvardhan Hangargekar. It should not come as a surprise if Dhoni opts to replace Prashant Solanki as a game-changer, even though Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja are already in the XI at Chepauk, where spin is often used to attack batsmen. On the other hand, Simarjit and Deshpande are likely to be taken out of the game if any of the bowlers give up too many runs. Hangargekar is likely to serve as a pinch hitter, willing to sacrifice his wicket for the team's benefit and swing his bat hard when needed. Read More: Bangladesh vs England ODI Series 2023 Preview: Schedule, Fixtures, Team Rajasthan Royals IPL’s first-season winner and IPL 2022’s runners-up, Rajasthan Royals, will certainly put their best to bring the trophy back after 15 years. Nevertheless, they were very close last year. Despite their amazing performance last year, there was a definite imbalance on their side. To accommodate five true bowlers, they were always lacking a batting contributor. In order to address the problem, the Royals acquired Jason Holder, whose presence alongside Trent Boult is sure to have a substantial impact on bouncy surfaces. His powerful hitting also makes him an integral part of the team. Rajasthan Royals' possible starting lineup may look like this: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Paddikal, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, Shimron Hetmeyer, Jason Holder, Ravi Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, and Yuzvendra Chahal. Read More BAN vs ENG Series 2023: England Squad Analysis Rajasthan players who can change the momentum: Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Murugan Ashwin, and Akash Vashist. Considering Kuldeep's speed and the shortage of competent choices in their team, Rajasthan may decide to utilize him as a lethal death bowler through the Impact Player rule. Rajasthan will be able to keep the middle overs in check if they call on Navdeep or Murugan Ashwin, depending on the nature of the pitch; the former as a hit-the-deck bowler and the latter as a spinner. Vashist is a left-hander; he will be especially useful in countering the opposition's strategies. So, among the four teams, who do you think has the best chance to take the IPL trophy to their home? Well, it is tough to predict this very early. But, considering the facts and their players' profile, Gujarat may keep the title to their home this year. Read More: England Men's Cricket Team Arrives Dhaka for White Ball Series

Kolkata Knight Riders resumed their IPL 2021 campaign in Abu Dhabi with a 9-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kolkata's bowling unit was outstanding in the match. Bangalore were bowled out for 92 runs, and Kolkata needed only 10 overs to reach the target. Kolkata could deploy their winning eleven in the MI vs. KKR match on Thursday (September 23) in Abu Dhabi, thus Shakib Al Hasan's chance of making the playing XI is minimal. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians restarted their season with a 20-run loss against Chennai Super Kings. They will be eager to regain their winning rhythm.   Read: IPL 2021: Scenarios of Playoffs Qualification for Eight Teams MI vs. KKR: Team News With 8 points, the Mumbai Indians are in fifth place, while the Kolkata Knight Riders are in sixth place with 6 points. The 14th season of the IPL is currently at a pivotal moment, with each team vying for a top spot in the standings. Losing a match means a big drop in the points table, and net run rate is an important consideration as well. Two of Mumbai Indians' key players Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya did not participate in the match against Chennai Super Kings. These two might play in the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Aside from that, any changes to the Mumbai playing XI are unlikely. Read: Kohli to step down from Bangalore captaincy after IPL season Most runs (Mumbai): Rohit Sharma (250) | Most Wickets (Mumbai): Rahul Chahar (11) Probable Playing XI (Mumbai):  Rohit Sharma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Adam Milne, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah The Kolkata Knight Riders are unlikely to make any changes to their lineup. For Kolkata, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, and Lockie Ferguson were all outstanding with the ball against Bangalore. Batsmen had little trouble chasing down the target after a superb bowling performance. As a result, Eoin Morgan and the rest of the team will put their faith in these players to confront the defending IPL champion Mumbai Indians. Shakib Al Hasan will have to wait till the next match if Kolkata stick with the same lineup. Shakib has to play more regularly in order to thrive in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Read: Mustafizur departs for Dubai to play IPL Most runs (Kolkata): Nitesh Rana (201) | Most Wickets (Kolkata): Andre Russell (10) Probable Playing XI (Kolkata):  Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy Match Time (MI vs KKR): 8 pm (Bangladesh Standard Time) | Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi)   Read:IPL 2021: Those who are at the Top Before the Tournament Resume Head-to-Head: MI vs. KKR Mumbai Indians have an excellent recent record against Kolkata Knight Riders. They have won 12 times in the past 13 meetings with Kolkata. So, Knight Riders have recently found it difficult to compete with the Indians. Both teams have played each other 28 times in total. Mumbai leads the head-to-head record with 22 victories, while Kolkata have only won 6 games. Read: Shakib, Mustafizur unlikely to play in the remainder of IPL 2021 Bottom Line Kolkata Knight Riders are in desperate need of a win, as they have only 6 points from their first eight games. Knight Riders must win at least four more matches in the next six in order to qualify for the playoffs. It's crucial for the Kolkata team to keep their winning streak intact. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians have 8 points from 8 games and need to win at least three of their remaining matches. Therefore, we may anticipate a competitive clash between these two teams, with the winner moving up the IPL 2021 points table.

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.

Delhi Capitals and reigning champions Mumbai Indians notched identical seven-wicket victories in the Indian Premier League on Thursday. Delhi’s clinical win over Kolkata Knight Riders at Ahmedabad lifted it to 10 points to share lead at the top of the table with Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kolkata, after losing five of its seven games, is fifth with four points. Mumbai pushed themselves into the top four with a resounding win over Rajasthan Royals at New Delhi. Mumbai, coming off two consecutive losses, is now fourth while struggling Rajasthan has dropped three of its past four games to sit seventh. Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw’s six fours in the opening over of the run-chase helped Delhi cruise to 156-3 in 16.3 overs as the right-hander made a blistering 82 off 41 balls. Kolkata’s batsmen continued to struggle before Andre Russell’s quickfire 45 off 27 balls lifted his team’s total to 154-6. Off-spinner Lalit Yadav dented Kolkata’s hopes when he dismissed captain Eoin Morgan and hard-hitting batsman Sunil Narine both without scoring in the 11th over and left-arm spinner Axar Patel also grabbed 2-32. Shaw gave Delhi an electrifying start when he hit fast bowler Shivam Mavi for six boundaries in the first over. By the time Morgan turned towards the experience of Pat Cummins in the sixth over, Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan had piled 66 runs in five overs and had taken the game well under Delhi’s grasp. Cummins picked up 3-24, but not before Shaw and Dhawan had raised a 132-run stand -- their second century stand in this season’s IPL. Cummins also had Dhawan lbw off a low full toss and then dismissed Shaw and captain Rishabh Pant in his last over. Shaw hit 11 fours and three sixes before he spliced a catch at point while Pant holed out at long-on boundary while going for a winning boundary. BUMRAH SHINES Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah (1-15) was brilliant, with both the new and old ball, to restrict Rajasthan at 171-4 after Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field at Delhi. Chris Morris, Rajasthan’s multimillion-dollar signing, picked up 2-33, but Quinton de Kock (70 not out) was always in control to take Mumbai to 172-3 with nine balls to spare. De Kock, who had struggled for runs in the first leg of the tournament in Chennai, finally found his batting form with a fine half century. De Kock’s 15th half century in the IPL featured six fours and two sixes as the South African left-hander drove and pulled well against the fast bowlers. “We needed that win badly after a couple of losses,” Sharma said. “We did everything right today, right from ball one … very happy with Quinny’s knock, we know how good he can be. Not to forget Krunal’s innings as well.” Krunal Pandya (39) added 63 runs with de Kock for the third-wicket stand before he was bowled by Mustafizur Rahman in the 17th over. But de Kock sealed the game with two boundaries against the Bangladesh left-arm fast bowler in the penultimate over. Earlier, Jos Buttler posted 41 runs off 32 balls and had given Rajasthan a platform, but Trent Boult clean bowled captain Sanju Samson (42) in the 18th over before Bumrah had Shivam Dube (35) caught off his own bowling off a low full toss. “We were a few runs short, 20-25 short,” Samson said. “We built it up nicely and didn’t capitalize. I think they had a very decent bowling lineup … it’s just about our batters performing a little more and I’m sure we’ll do it.”

The IPL of the 2021 season kicked off on April 9th. The final match of the IPL 2021 will be played on May 30 at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad after a month and a half of the competition. Mumbai Indians have won the last two editions of the IPL and they are again a strong contender for the title this year. However, other teams are determined to dethrone Mumbai and win the IPL but which team has more chance to win the trophy? In this article, we discussed who will win the IPL 2021? The favorites, underdogs, and outsiders. Who are the favorites to win the IPL 2021? Mumbai Indians Mumbai Indians are now the most confident team in the league after winning the previous two IPL tournaments.So they were not seen to be very active in this year’s IPL auction. Mumbai have complete trust in their IPL-winning squad in the search for a hat-trick title. There are a handful of match-winning players in the squad who can decide the outcome of a match on their own. Top five players of Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (captain, batsman), Kieron Pollard (all-rounder), Hardik Pandya (all-rounder), Trent Bolt (pacer), Jasprit Bumrah (pacer) Kolkata Knight Riders Kolkata Knight Riders have not won an IPL tournament since 2014. So, Kolkata have put together a very strong team for the 2021 season in order to reclaim the title.After a three-year absence, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan is back in the Kolkata squad this season. The squad also has a number of spinners. As a result, Kolkata Knight Riders are the strongest spin-reliant team in this year's IPL. Ian Morgan-led Kolkata Knight Riders have a genuine chance to win the IPL 2021 if they can stay consistent in the final part of the season. Top five players of Kolkata Knight Riders: Ian Morgan (captain, batsman), Andre Russell (all-rounder), Shakib Al Hasan (all-rounder), Sunil Narine (all-rounder), Pat Cummins (pacer) Read: BAN vs SL Cricket Test series 2021: Expected personal milestones to achieve Royal Challengers Bangalore  Every year, Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore enter the IPL as a tournament favorite. However, they are yet to win an IPL tournament. As always, Bangalore have put together a formidable squad for the 14th edition of the IPL. Australia's Glenn Maxwell has been added to their squad for the 2021 IPL campaign. In addition, the squad contains a number of star cricketers. Let's see if team Bangalore can change its IPL fortune this time! Top five players of Royal Challengers Bangalore: ViratKohli (captain, batsman), Glenn Maxwell (all-rounder), AB de Villiers (batsman), Kyle Jamieson (pacer), YuzvendraChahal (spinner) Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: Analysis of Bangladesh’s Test Squad for Sri Lanka Series Sunrisers Hyderabad Sunrisers Hyderabad haven't won the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2016. Sunrisers Hyderabad have been led by Australian David Warner for the past few years and they have consistently made it to the knockout stages of the tournament. Sunrisers have some great t20 format players. As a result, they are one of the favorites of this year's tournament like every time. Top five players of Royal Challengers Hyderabad: David Warner (captain, batsman), Rashid Khan (spinner), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (pacer), Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Kane Williamson (batsman)  Who are the underdogs to win the IPL 2021? Chennai Super Kings Chennai Super Kings have always been considered a favorite, but they are labeled underdogs this season. Dhoni's team has a number of world-class cricketers, but most of them are over 30 years old. With such a team, the odds of winning the IPL are slightly lower than with other teams. So it would not be right to expect much from team Chennai this time. Top five players of Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (captain, wicket-keeper), Faf du Plessis (batsman), Suresh Raina (batsman), Moeen Ali (all-rounder), Sam Curran (all-rounder) Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: Five Things Bangladesh Cricket Team Must Do To win the Test Series in Sri Lanka Delhi Capitals Many people are betting on Delhi Capitals to win the 14th edition of the IPL since they were runner-up in the previous edition. While Delhi have some talented players, their lack of experience may lead them to fall behind other teams. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will take over as captain in place of the injured ShreyasIyer. It will be interesting to see how far Delhi will go under his leadership. Top five players of Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (captain, wicket-keeper), ShikharDhawan (batsman), Marcus Stoinis (all-rounder), Tom Curran (all-rounder), Steve Smith (batsman)  Who are the outsiders to win the IPL 2021?  Rajasthan Royals Rajasthan Royals have a number of outstanding T20 cricketers, among them is South African all-rounder Chris Morris. He was the most expensive player in the 2021 IPL auction. Rajasthan paid $ 2.3 million for Morris at auction. Rajasthan is predicted to do well in this year's IPL under the leadership of CaptainSanju Samson. However, they are currently regarded as one of the outsiders to win the trophy. Top five players of Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (captain, batsman), Chris Morris (all-rounder), Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper), Ben Stokes (all-rounder), Mustafizur Rahman (pacer) Read: T20 World Cup 2021: Five Things the Bangladesh Team Needs To Address Before the World T20 2021 Punjab Kings PreityZinta's team will compete in the IPL 14 under the new name Punjab Kings this year. Although the squad has some talented players, it is not particularly strong in comparison to other teams. As a result, dreaming of winning the championship right now would be wrong. Punjab will have to maintain continuity at the league level in order to secure a spot in the top four of the points table. Top five players of Punjab Kings: KL Rahul (captain, wicket-keeper), Riley Meredith (pacer), Jhye Richardson (all-rounder), Chris Gayle (batsman), Mohammad Shami (pacer) Verdict We have analyzed the strengths of the teams to identify who will win the IPL 2021? And also to find out the favorites, underdogs, and outsiders of the tournament. After assessing each team's strengths, it is apparent that the Mumbai Indians are once again the hot favorite. In addition, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad all have an equal chance of winning the IPL in 2021. However, teams in good form at the end of the tournament would have a great chance of winning the trophy. Overall, we expect the tournament's best team will win the trophy. Read: How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan bowled well for Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday when they took on Mumbai Indians in their second game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. KKR, however, lost the game due to careless batting during the last five overs of the game- and there Shakib must share in the blame. Some might say he even started it. KKR won the toss and opted to bowl first against Mumbai who lost the first game of the season to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. KKR, on the other hand, came to his game with a win in their first game to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Andre Russell bagged five wickets for KKR conceding only 15 runs in two overs, and thus, he was the best bowler of his team while Shakib bagged one wicket conceding only 23 runs in four overs. Shakib’s economy was 5.75, the lowest for KKR’s bowlers who have bowled all four overs in this game. For Mumbai, Suryakumar Yadav hit 56 off 36 before Shakib sent him back while Rohit Sharma posted 43 off 32 balls. Mumbai scored 152 for all wickets in 20 overs. Also read: Kolkata kicks off IPL with 10-run win despite Shakib’s lean show In reply, Nitish Rana and Shubham Gill posted 72 runs in the first wicket stand, and it looked like KKR will have an easy win. But the failure of the other batsmen made it tough for them. Rahul Chahar bagged the first four wickets of Kolkata conceding 27 runs in four overs. Shakib got a promotion in the batting order, coming to bat at number five. But the left-hander failed to exploit the chance as he fell for 9 off 9 deliveries. In the last five overs, KKR needed 30 runs with six wickets, including Shakib, Russell and Dinesh Karthik, in hand, but they failed to do it. They lost Shakib during the 16th over while in the last over when KKR needed to score 15 to seal the game, Trent Boult removed Andre Russell, 9 off 15 balls, and Pat Cummins off two consecutive deliveries. Karthik remained unbeaten at 8 off 11 balls. And eventually, KKR tumbled for 142 for seven in 20 overs and lost the game by 10 runs.

Bangladesh and Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is all ready to face Mumbai Indians in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), which is slated to start on April 9.  Shakib has already joined the Kolkata team who are now having a practice camp in Mumbai. Before joining the camp, Shakib had a seven-day quarantine.  Also read: IPL 2021: Shakib back in Kolkata Knight Riders Kolkata's IPL will begin with their encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 11 in Chennai. They will face Mumbai Indians in their next game on April 13 at the same venue. While talking to ESPNcricinfo recently, Shakib said he was waiting to face Mumbai in this IPL. "The team I am most looking forward to facing in this IPL is Mumbai. "I would also love to face English pacer Jofra Archer who was slated to play for Rajasthan Royals," Shakib said.  Jofra, however, is uncertain for this IPL, and the all-rounder said in the absence of Jofra, he would love to face Patt Cummins in the nets who is also playing for Kolkata. This IPL is like a homecoming for Shakib as he returned to Kolkata after two years. In the last season, Shakib was out of cricketing activities due to a ban imposed on him by the International Cricket Council for failing to report corrupt approaches. Before that, the all-rounder played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019. Shakib was a part of Kolkata when they won two IPL titles. He said his best memory in IPL came in 2014 when he performed well with the bat and ball and Kolkata won the title. The Bangladesh all-rounder scored 227 runs and bagged 11 wickets in that season of IPL.  Also read:Mustafiz's Rajasthan vs Shakib's Kolkata: Which team has the .. The all-rounder believes that the team's strongest side in this IPL is their bowling line-up. "I think we've covered all the area well." "Namely, I believe the bowling department is the strongest part of our team. This bowling attack can win the IPL for Kolkata."  However, Shakib had some tough time off the field recently due to choosing IPL over Bangladesh's tour to Sri Lanka for a two-match series.  He applied to the Bangladesh Cricket Board to allow him to play IPL and skip the tour. The board accepted his request. However, the board also said Shakib was reluctant to play Tests. But he did not say so.