By Jamie Alter
With just six points from eight matches, DC need to gain momentum and it’s tough to see where it will come from considering how average three of their big overseas players have been.
Published: May 02, 2011, 08:15 PM (IST)
Edited: May 02, 2011, 08:15 PM (IST)
Kolkata Knight Riders are sitting comfortably, for the moment, at No 2 on the league table. © AFP
By Jamie Alter
Hyderabad: May 2, 2011
Kolkata Knight Riders are sitting comfortably, for the moment, at No 2 on the league table. They have 10 points with a match in hand over the leaders Rajasthan Royals, who are also only a single point ahead, so victory over Deccan Chargers should push them back to the top spot. The wholesale changes that the franchise owners made to the squad have paid off and, barring a shocking drop in form, they are virtually assured of a semi-final spot. A win over DC in Hyderabad will all but ensure it.
For KKR, it’s essential they continue the momentum because they have a game each against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, two of the top teams in the competition. The team’s success is a result of a very balanced squad. They are strong in both batting and bowling and were able to locate a winning combination relatively early in the tournament, after losing their first match and just managing to win the second. The arrivals of Brett Lee and Shakib Al Hasan from Bangladesh gave the team an edge that has added their name as contenders for the tournament.
While they lack in sheer pace – Lee, at 34, is the only genuine quick they have – KKR have been carried by the subtle variety of Laxmipathy Balaji and the attacking spin of young Iqbal Abdullah who is the team’s highest wicket-taker with ten. KKR own a strong bench as well, with the likes of Ryan ten Doeschate able to step in and perform. And to imagine that Yusuf Pathan has yet to fire with the bat.
The odds are firmly stacked against DC and even if they manage to pull off a win, they remain at sixth place on the table. Deccan started the tournament with two losses, then beat Royal Challengers Bangalore to notch their first win at home in three seasons, only to lose to Kings XI Punjab. A straightforward victory over Delhi Daredevils was followed by defeat, victory, and defeat. It’s easy to see why DC are in the middle of the table.
With just six points from eight matches, DC need to gain momentum and it’s tough to see where it will come from considering how average three of their big overseas players have been. Cameron White, JP Duminy and Daniel Christian have all struggled to impose themselves, and without much firepower on the bench it will be difficult for DC to get it together in quick time. Like KKR, they too have tough games coming up, so staying afloat will be a challenge.
Teams:
DC (Probable): Shikhar Dhawan, Sunny Sohal, Kumar Sangakkara (c&wk), Bharat Chipli, Jean Paul Duminy, Daniel Christian, Dale Steyn, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha.
KKR (Probable): Sreevats Goswami (wk), Jacques Kallis, Gautam Gambhir (c), Eoin Morgan, Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Rajat Bhatia, Brett Lee, Iqbal Abdulla, Laxmipathy Balaji.
Time: 20.00 local (14.30 GMT)
(Jamie Alter is a freelance cricket writer, having worked at ESPNcricinfo and All Sports Magazine. He is the author of two books, The History of World Cup Cricket and Field of Dreams: The Story of the Dr. DY Patil Sports Stadium. His twitter feed is @jamie_alter)
