KOLKATA, PUNJAB LOOK TO MAINTAIN ASCENDANCY
KOLKATA: Table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will both be high on confidence after registering morale-boosting victories in their respective previous games, when they clash in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.
While KKR got the better of Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in Jaipur, Punjab rode Chris Gayle’s blazing hundred to stymie Sunrisers Hyderabad’s three-game unbeaten streak and coast to a 15-run victory at home.
KKR had Nitish Rana -- who fired with bat and ball once again -- and their wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla to thank for the second triumph in a row.
Needless to say, Rana’s form augurs well for Dinesh Karthik’s men who also have Robin Uthappa among runs along with the captain himself. Rana, who bagged the Manof-the-match award for the second game in a row, now has 162 runs in five matches at 40.50, and four wickets.
Backing up their batsmen, Kuldeep and Piyush kept it really tight the other day with the pair returning combined figures of 2/41 in eight overs. KKR’S worry would be the poor form of dashing Australian opener Chris Lynn.
The likes of Punjab captain R Ashwin and 17-year old Afghanistan offie Mujeeb Ur Rahman would be licking their lips when they bowl to him.
The other opener, Sunil Narine, has shown susceptibility to shotpitched deliveries.
Coming to Gayle, the burly West Indian smoked 11 sixes en route his unbeaten 63-ball 104 to help his side post a challenging 193/3. This was Gayle’s second straight matchwinning innings after his 33-ball 63 against Chennai Super Kings.
Besides Gayle, Punjab bat deep with the likes of big-hitting Aaron Finch, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and ageing Yuvraj Singh in their ranks. Their bowling though lacks experience, especially in the pace department.
RCB EYE HOME WINS
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore are hopeful that a run of four straight home games would help them resurrect their IPL campaign which has been off to an underwhelming start. Having played four matches so far, the three-time runners-up have recorded just one win and lost the remaining three.
In the coming 10 days, RCB embark on a stretch of four home games at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium where they will face Delhi Daredevils (April 21), Chennai Super Kings (April 25), Kolkata Knight Riders (April 29) and Mumbai Indians (May 1). Star batsman AB De Villiers points out this will work in their favour as a couple of wins will be enough for them to gain the momentum.
On Saturday, RCB will host Delhi Daredevils, a team which has also been able to win just once out of their four matches so far and are at the bottom of the points tally – a rung below RCB.
“It will be a tough match, but, by concentrating on the basics, by keeping faith both with our strategy and each other, we can start to turn the season around and deliver to the RCB supporters all around the country the success that they have so long craved and so richly deserve,” De Villiers added.