Desperate Delhi face shining KKR
Delhi Daredevils, who have had a startstop journey, will be looking to pick up form; KKR look to consolidate
Had this not been a home game, the best way to stop Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) would have been at the airport. True, fortunes change in T20 in a matter of deliveries and the Knights have shown streaks of vulnerability but they have managed to finish on the right side in six of the eight games in IPL10. It could have been seven out of eight had KKR not fluffed their lines in Mumbai.
After Wednesday night’s convincing win away to Rising Pune Super Giant, KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir said no target is beyond reach. His partner in that successful run chase, Robin Uthappa, said he doesn’t need the cushion of the power play anymore.
And after cleaning up Royal Challengers Bangalore in 9.4 overs using only pace, the Knights’ spinners took four of the five wickets against Steve Smith’s side; Umesh Yadav getting a wicket off the innings’ last ball. Yes, the odd catch continues to be dropped but if KKR and Mumbai Indians have a threepoint gap with the rest, it is because they look the most balanced of the teams.
“Irrespective of the wicket, I think we have a proper balance in the bowling attack….and our batting is clicking,” was how Parthiv Patel explained Mumbai Indians’ run. He could have been speaking of KKR. It’s a very good challenge,” said Delhi Daredevils’ skipper Zaheer Khan.
Delhi Daredevils lost thrice to KKR in 2012 and should KKR win on Friday, it would be a repeat of the 2015 ‘double.’
Rested for Wednesday’s game, Nathan Coulter-nile lapped around Eden and it will have to be seen whether the big Australian plays on a wicket looking greener
than usual.
PACE COULD BE KEY
“I should congratulate Sourav Ganguly for this. The wicket is looking very good and everyone is excited as a group,” said Khan.
With Chris Morris, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Shami, Angelo Mathews and Khan, Delhi Daredevils have a pace attack of substance.
As do the Knights for whom Umesh Yadav is on song and Chris Woakes and Colin de Grandhomme took three wickets each when they played here last after Coulter-nile set the tone.
It was the loss against KKR that sent Delhi Daredevils on a three-match losing run.
Three of their four losses have come while chasing so it could be interesting to see how the visiting team reacts if they win the toss at a venue where teams batting second have fared better and where the dew is a factor and some rain is forecast. I can even watch and enjoy a cricket match between associate teams. I just love this game. But some incidents shake me so hard I lose the context of playing cricket. Our last game on Wednesday was one such day where I had a hollow feeling. The attacks on CRPF men in Chhattisgarh were fresh in my mind. On Wednesday morning, I picked up newspapers and saw gut-wrenching pictures of the daughters of two CRPF men killed in the latest attacks. One was saluting her martyred father while in the other picture, the howling young woman was