Five-time IPL (Indian Premier League) champions Chennai Super Kings are set to host three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday, April 14, in what promises to be an important encounter for both teams.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan opined that the matchup between mystery spinner Sunil Narine and star opener Sanju Samson could be crucial in deciding the outcome of the game. Pathan highlighted the fact that Narine has had the upper hand over Samson, dismissing the wicketkeeper-batter thrice in the IPL so far. The cricketer-turned-expert also added that the Chennai Super Kings’ star has a dismal strike rate against the Caribbean icon.
“Against Sunil Narine, he (Sanju Samson) has been dismissed three times. He has faced around 80 balls in total and his strike rate against him is only around 80. He struggles to score runs and play big shots against him,” Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“It will be important to see how quickly Kolkata bring Sunil Narine into the attack against Sanju Samson, and how Samson counters him. Does he use more of the back foot? On this pitch at Chepauk, where there is more bounce, there is not much need to come forward too often. You can play more comfortably off the back foot,” he added.
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Jamie Overton was the star of the show with the ball in Chennai’s 23-run win in their last game against the Delhi Capitals. The England all-rounder finished with sensational figures of 4/18 in his four overs. Pathan asserted that the Barnstaple-born could play a key role in this game, especially if he mixes the bouncers and slower balls well. The 41-year-old also mentioned Overton’s batting talent, which can come in handy against the Knight Riders.
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“Especially in the match against Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, he went heavily into yorkers. But he is a tall bowler, so he should use bouncers and slower balls. In the last match against Delhi, Chennai used him in that way. If used like this, he can become a very dangerous bowler. He can also contribute with the bat and score runs, so how much impact he makes for Chennai will also be closely watched in this match,” Pathan stated.
