The 2019 Indian Premier League season heads into match 28 with Kings XI Punjab hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second game of Saturday’s double-header.
As fans, watching the action is not the only thing to look forward to – IPL fantasy games mean you have the opportunity to get involved as well.
As the IPL’s official partner, Dream11 runs a daily contest for each game apart from the default format which is conducted per round.
Here, we focus on helping you navigate your way through the form.
BATSMAN
Chris Gayle – Kings XI Punjab (10.5 credits)
Despite the star-studded batting cast on offer on both sides, it is hard to look beyond Chris Gayle for the batting slot given his explosive half-century in his last match.
AB de Villiers has blown hot and cold for RCB while Virat Kohli has been steady but hardly spectacular. As such, Gayle, who has registered two quick-fire fifties already in the current edition, leads the charge with the bat.
The Jamaican veteran was in smashing form in KXIP’s narrow loss to Mumbai with an entertaining 36-ball 63. Gayle has a penchant for going on hot streaks once he gets going and the innings against Mumbai could drive him to touch even greater heights in the clash against Bangalore.
VIDEO: @henrygayle smokes 22 in one over 👏👏
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 10, 2019
📹📹https://t.co/yNVPZgOrmR pic.twitter.com/w2yVcFO4bT
BOWLER
Yuzvendra Chahal – Royal Challengers Bangalore (9 credits)
Amidst the shambles that is RCB, one man has still been able to hold his own. That man is Yuzvendra Chahal with the India leg-spinner currently only behind Delhi’s Kagiso Rabada and Chennai’s Deepak Chahar in the wicket-taking charts.
The wrist-spinner has been Bangalore’s best player by far this season with his nine wickets in seven appearances coming at an economy-rate of less than seven runs an over.
Chahal can expect some help from the Mohali pitch which always has some bounce available for spinners to exploit and that should translate into some wickets and a fair amount of fantasy points.
ALL-ROUNDER
Sam Curran – Kings XI Punjab (8.5 credits)
The England youngster was expected to struggle in subcontinent conditions despite being the most expensive overseas purchase in the 2019 auction. While he might not exactly be setting the stage alight, Curran sure has had his moments in his maiden IPL campaign.
The KXIP all-rounder has found opportunities hard to come by with the bat but he did play a fine quick-fire cameo against Delhi Capitals at the same venue. With the ball, Curran has picked up seven wickets so far with many of them coming at a crucial stage.
With an IPL hat-trick already under his belt, expect Curran to grow in confidence as the tournament progresses and that should see a substantial rise in his fantasy points contribution.
WICKETKEEPER
KL Rahul – Kings XI Punjab (10 credits)
Sanju Samson 👏
— Watch the VIVO IPL on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) April 10, 2019
Jonny Bairstow 👏
David Warner 👏
KL Rahul 👏
A maiden #VIVOIPL century for the 26-year-old Kings XI Punjab star ✨
🏏 Only the fourth player to do so this season. pic.twitter.com/Tw7B2B6twC
There is no debate at all for the wicketkeeper’s slot with Punjab’s KL Rahul being a shoe-in based on current form.
The KXIP opener had an indifferent start to his campaign but has burst into life in the most recent clashes. Rahul’s last five innings in the IPL have yielded four scores above 50 with the latest of them being an unbeaten ton against Mumbai.
The right-hander is now only second to Hyderabad’s David Warner in the run-scoring charts and he will be eager to keep up this prolific form with India’s World Cup squad set to be announced on April 18.
CAPTAIN – KL Rahul
VICE CAPTAIN – Chris Gayle
