IPL 2022: Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants Betting Tips

Things are getting interesting in IPL 2022 as Kolkata Knight Riders need a victory to have any hope of a playoff spot, while Lucknow Super Giants also need a victory if they are to remain in the hunt for a top-two finish. These two sides square off this afternoon in Match 66 of IPL 2022.

We preview this match and provide betting tips and the players to watch.

Betting Preview

Despite back-to-back wins, it looks like KKR have left their late-season push too late. It was in the latter stages of IPL 2021 that KKR found form to progress all the way through to the final. Their chances are far slimmer this time around as not only do they need to defeat LSG by a decent margin, but they also need Delhi and RCB to lose their last regular-season contests.

Kolkata Knight Riders and their opening partnership don’t really see eye to eye. They’ve already used five combinations this season and finally managed to get their first 50-plus opening stand through Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane two games ago. But with Rahane ruled out of the competition, they will be forced to tweak their opening pairing yet again.

Batting has been considered the Knights Riders strength in recent years, yet it has been the complete opposite in 2022. After match 64, KKR were ranked ninth for average runs scored per game (155.00) with Shreyas and Venkatesh Iyer’s three combined fifties (from 24 innings) a key reason for the team’s batting woes.

With a two-point lead and a NRR advantage of 0.585 over fifth-placed RCB, a playoff spot looks all but assured for Lucknow in their maiden IPL campaign. Considering their high table ranking for most of the tournament, failing to secure the double chance will surely be a failure for their second half of the season.

LSG had their opening combination pretty much decided on the day of the auction. Their average of 36.13 for the first wicket is the second-best in IPL 2022. But their batting problems start after the pair of Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul are separated.

From numbers 3 to 6, Super Giants’ batters have averaged 21.88, which is the worst of any team this season. They have attempted to use the flexibility offered by their all-rounders to maximise match-ups, trying as many as nine batters at numbers 3 and 4 alone. But it hasn’t always worked, and the middle order has turned into an area of weakness.

Picking a winner has proved to be difficult lately with so many inconsistent teams, so I’d suggest looking at other markets that could prove to be valuable.

Key Stat

The average first innings score at Dy Patil Stadium this season is 169, compared to an all-time average of 158.

Among fast bowlers to have bowled at least 15 overs in IPL 2022, Mohsin Khan (6.1), Umesh Yadav (6.9) and Tim Southee (7.0) have been the most economical.

From nine prior innings against KKR, Marcus Stoinis has a top score of just 28.

LSG average 174 when batting first, the fourth-highest of all franchises.

Super Giants’ run-rate of 11.30 at the death is the best of any team in IPL 2022, while Knight Riders are at the bottom of that list at 9.82.

Players to Watch

In the last four matches in which Andre Russell has reached double figures, he has managed to get his score into the 40s (49*, 48, 45 & 49*). Jason Holder needs one more wicket to reach 50 in his IPL career. Only twice across his last 12 matches in which he has bowled his full four-over quota has he failed to take a wicket.

Best Bets

Suggested Bet: LSG to have the highest opening partnership

Suggested Bet: Over 12.5 match sixes 1.90

Value Bet: A Russel to be KKR’s top batsman 6.50