Consistent Kings XI Punjab take on buoyant Kolkata

KOLKATA, India – The most consistent team of IPL-7 will be up against the most resilient side of the current edition when Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the first qualifier of the IPL today. Punjab have been the most outstanding team this season to finish top of the points table, courtesy a superlative batting show from Glenn Maxwell.
On the other hand, Kolkata were written off midway into the tournament with just two wins from first seven matches but they bounced back in superb fashion to seal a playoff berth.
Later, Yusuf Pathan’s destructive 22-ball 72 against Hyderabad fired them up to second spot ahead of Chennai on the basis of a better net run rate. Their 4-wicket triumph over Hyderabad was their seventh win on the trot.
Punjab may be the heavyweights but they would be wary of KKR’s momentum and it would be quite a challenge for George Bailey’s men to breach their opponent’s fortress at the Eden Gardens.
Both the teams are two wins away from the glittering trophy but a loss in the first qualifier will not be the end of the road either. The losing team would survive to play the second qualifier in the battle to make it to the final of the cash-rich tournament.
Yusuf Pathan will be a threat in the ranks of KKR, quite the same way Maxwell is in the KXIP line-up, in what promises to be yet another run feast with both teams boasting of powerful batting line-ups.
The ground has been under cover since Sunday because of a downpour and both the teams will keep their fingers crossed as rain has been forecast for today.
There is a reserve day on May 28 but both teams would be keen for a result today without stretching it too far.
Under overcast conditions, the slow bowlers could play a crucial role and the KKR camp would have an extra edge in mystery spinner Sunil Narine who has the Purple Cap. They also have left-armer Shakib Al Hasan in a potent spin attack.
Maxwell was dismissed by leg-spinners six times in this IPL and Shakib will surely look to exploit the weakness of the Aussie who is in the middle of a rare lean patch.
Maxwell, who was rested against Rajasthan, has scored 16 runs from the last three innings and was out for a duck in their 116-run chase against Delhi Daredevils on Sunday.
Boasting a strong middle-order in David Miller, Manan Vohra, skipper Bailey and Wriddhiman Saha, KXIP should not worry much about Maxwell’s lean patch.
What, however, would be a cause of concern for KXIP is their spin bowling with the likes of Rishi Dhawan and Akshar Patel not making too much inroads. It would be interesting if they bring in Murali Kartik in their line-up.
With Mitchell Johnson spearheading the pace department, KXIP pacers have most number of wickets (62) but at the same time, their spinners have the fewest (24).
In terms of batting, Shaun Marsh, who has been a consistent performer for KXIP with about 2 000 runs, has been benched with Maxwell and Miller stealing the show.
KXIP have lost to KKR, the second team after Mumbai Indians to have beaten the table-toppers this season, and the home side would surely fancy their chances with a vociferous crowd behind them.
KKR look a more balanced side of the two both in batting and bowling.
Leading run-getter Robin Uthappa, who has the Orange Cap with 613 runs from 14 matches, has been instrumental in giving fine starts with skipper Gautam Gambhir, who too has been impressive with 311 from 14 matches.
The duo has been successfully giving the team fine starts before the likes of Shakib, Ryan ten Doeschate and Yusuf fire up in the middle-order, which has been the KKR’s story so far this season.
But previous laurels won’t matter in the play-offs as both the teams will have to start from zero. Surely, the contest will be a treat for the cricket-crazy crowd at the Eden Gardens.