Defending champions Gujarat Titans will be eyeing a hat-trick of victories, while Kolkata Knight Riders, fresh from their decimation of Royal Challengers Bangalore, will be keen to show that win was not a flash in the pan when the two sides clash in the IPL in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
A look at how India have fared in their World Cup opening games.
Kolkata Knight Riders resemble a sinking ship ahead of a rather inconsequential IPL-15 match against bottom-placed Mumbai Indians who, even if already out of reckoning, will have their tails up in Navi Mumbai on Monday.
Exactly 11 months are left for the marquee event in India and the series starting on Friday will give the team an initial idea about some of the middle-order slots
They are languishing at the bottom and placed eighth in the points table after the first half of IPL 2023.
With MI's batting finally clicking, LSG bowlers have task cut out
PHOTOS of the IPL 2023 match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.
With 10 points, KKR, however, are on the brink of elimination.
LSG are sitting in second place with 14 point thanks to a stupendous show by Rahul
Guilty of making too many changes at the top, Kolkata Knight Riders will be looking to find a winning combination against Rajasthan Royals and snap their five-match losing streak in the IPL, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, on Monday.
Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to continue with their risk-taking approach despite mixed returns when they on Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai on Friday.
Stung by an improved New Zealand the other night, a wary India would like to quickly get their house in order when they square off with Kane Williamson's boys in the third ODI in Mohali on Sunday. While the six-run defeat in Delhi has given India plenty to ponder about, it has also renewed interest in the contest which had been dominated by the home team prior to Thursday, stretching from the one-sided Test series to the first ODI in Dharamsala. From the New Zealand point of view, a victory was all that they needed after a string of deflating defeats. As a result of their first win on Indian soil in 13 years, one can expect a certain spring in the stride of the visitors when they take the field at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.
Getting the opportunity in the absence of Mitchell Marsh, who got married on Sunday, Manish Pandey lasted only one ball and the veteran batter will be keen to make an impact at Kotla.
KKR had bought Shreyas Iyer for Rs 15.25 crore
While the return of pace spearhead Anrich Nortje, who had been nursing an injury, bolstered the bowling unit, the South African, who hasn't bowled since the T20 World Cup in November, looked understandably rusty.
Mumbai Indians will have the returning Suryakumar Yadav's flamboyance in the middle-order as they look to bounce back against a confident Rajasthan Royals unit in the IPL at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.
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Rediff.com Contributing Photographer Pradeep Bandekar sighted these stars on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli hit a second successive unbeaten half century. Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav also reached the 50-mark
Gujarat Titans have been firing on all cylinders, with their batting prowess and bowling might.
Ashwin got rid of Tilak, Yuzi got David and Sams, and Pollard couldn't get going.
With regular skipper Shreyas Iyer ruled out, the Kolkata Knight Riders will heavily bank on new coach Chandrakant Pandit as they set their eyes on a third IPL title.
Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders would strive for a handsome win over struggling Rajasthan Royals in their last round-robin game to stay ahead in the IPL play-offs race in Sharjah on Thursday.
Pacer Matheesha Pathirana starred with the ball as Chennai Super Kings eased to an emphatic six-wicket victory against Mumbai Indians.
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Mumbai Indians will be looking for an ideal playing eleven to end their five-match losing streak when they take on Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Mumbai on Saturday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2023 after Game 33.
Kolkata Knight Riders outclassed Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap their five-match losing streak in the IPL 2022 match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.
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IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Punjab, who are on eight points from 11 games, need to win the match to keep their play-offs hopes alive, while KKR (10 points from 11 games) also need a victory to boost their hopes.
West Indies batsman Chris Gayle smashed fifty from 12 balls for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League on Monday to match India's Yuvraj Singh's record for the fastest half-century in Twenty20 cricket.
With nine defeats from 11 matches, the Sunrisers are languishing at the bottom, while KKR, in fourth place with 10 points from 12 matches, still have hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stage.
Iyer is the 16th Indian batter to score a century on Test debut.
With this win, India are at the top spot on the points table with four points in two wins in two matches. The Netherlands are at the bottom and are yet to score a point.
Rahul and Pant, both match-winners in their own rights even with the bat, will like to seize the initiative in these early rounds.
