IPL Schedule 2016: Updated Fixture List, Live Stream Info, Odds and Predictions
Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders face off in the 2016 Indian Premier League on Thursday in what will be a vital match in deciding which sides reach the play-offs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore's emphatic victory over Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday moved them up into the second spot and pushed Gujarat out of the top four.
Neither KKR nor the Lions have been in good form of late, but they are still in the running to fight it out for the 2016 title, and Thursday's game in Kanpur has a lot riding on it.
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Read on for a closer look at the clash as both sides play their penultimate match of the league phase, along with odds, predictions, live streaming information and an updated fixture list.
| Date | Time (BST) | Fixture | Venue | Predicted Winner |
| Thursday, May 19 | 3:30 p.m. | Gujarat Lions vs. Kolkata Knight Riders | Kanpur | KKR |
| Friday, May 20 | 3:30 p.m. | Delhi Daredevils vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad | Raipur | SH |
| Saturday, May 21 | 11:30 a.m. | Rising Pune Supergiants vs. Kings XI Punjab | Visakhapatnam | RPS |
| Saturday, May 21 | 3:30 p.m. | Gujarat Lions vs. Mumbai Indians | Kanpur | GL |
| Sunday, May 22 | 11:30 a.m. | Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad | Kolkata | KKR |
| Sunday, May 22 | 3:30 p.m. | Delhi Daredevils vs. Royal Challengers Bangalore | Raipur | RCB |
For the full schedule, visit the IPL’s official website. Watch all matches live on Sky Sports and live stream via Sky Go (UK only).
In Gujarat's last outing they were victims of a humiliating 144-run thrashing by RCB.
Per Cricbuzz, it was a record-breaking defeat, but the Lions have no time to lick their wounds and must bounce back with a win over KKR if they are to return to the top four:
Victories in their last two matches will guarantee GL a place in the knockout rounds, while KKR need only to beat the Lions to ensure a play-off spot.
The Gujarat outfit will be boosted by the return to action of captain Suresh Raina after he missed the RCB humbling for the birth of his child.
He will add some more solidity to the Gujarat top order, which failed to fire against RCB as Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Ravindra Jadeja and Dinesh Karthik all fell quite cheaply.
The Lions can also take heart from the fact that they comfortably beat KKR by five wickets in Kolkata earlier this month.
Contributions throughout the batting lineup were crucial to that victory, and with Kolkata boasting a bowling unit that includes Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Shakib Al Hasan, all Gujarat's batsmen will have to be on form again if they are to win.
KKR's last outing was also a heavy nine-wicket defeat to Bangalore as they fell victim to another masterclass from RCB's immense top order.
However, there were encouraging signs at Eden Gardens as Kolkata posted a decent total of 183, with Gautam Gambhir and Manish Pandey both chipping in with half-centuries, per ESPN Cricinfo:
Andre Russell's leg injury is a blow for KKR, but they have the batting depth to cause Gujarat all kinds of problems, with Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan and Shakib all more than capable of contributing key knocks.
With so much on the line, it is set to be a nervy clash, and the two sides are well-matched, as their identical records have proved so far in this year's tournament.
Small margins will decide the match, and a key contribution from a single star could spell the difference between qualifying for the knockout rounds and falling at the first hurdle.
Odds courtesy of Oddschecker.
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