IPL 6: KKR vs KXIP- Kings XI Punjab Preview
Fresh from a convincing victory over Delhi Daredevils at Feroz Shah Kotla, this resurgent Punjab side will certainly be high on confidence going into today’s match against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. They beat Gautam Gambhir‘s boys the last time they played against each other at Mohali this year.
But Adam Gilchrist’s side will be fully aware of the fact that KKR will be pushing hard for revenge and, more importantly, will be desperate to end their losing streak in the IPL this year. Historically, KKR have been tough to beat at home, but their recent form may give Punjab something to cheer about. With Kolkata having the likes of Yusuf Pathan, Gautam Gambhir and Eoin Morgan in their ranks, the Punjab bowlers have to be at their best to control the flow of runs at the top and at the death as well.
Regarding Punjab’s bowling, the likes of Praveen Kumar, Piyush Chawla and Harmeet Singh can prove to be quite handy in the slow and low-bouncing conditions at Eden. Parvinder Awana, who has not been at his usual best this season, may have to face an axe if the team management opts for an extra spinner in the spin-friendly pitches down there.
But the bigger dilemma that Punjab might have to face is whether Adam Gilchrist should drop himself to give some of the worthy foreigners warming the benches so far a chance, or whether he should continue playing despite his poor run in the IPL. With overseas captains like Ricky Ponting, Kumara Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews dropping themselves for the sake of their respective teams, Gilchrist might be under some kind of pressure going into the match. However, the likes of David Hussey, David Miller and Mandeep Singh make their middle order look quite formidable on paper. With Kolkata under pressure to win almost every game now on after winning only 2 out of the 7 games they have played, Punjab will be looking to take advantage of the situation. Kings XI Punjab are currently sitting pretty in 5th position winning 4 out of 7 games.
Conditions:
The Eden Gardens pitch has been very slow and low in all the previous games played here in IPL 6. It will help the spinners and the bowlers with clever changes of pace. Punjab will be banking on Piyush Chawla and David Hussey as their spin options with Harmeet Singh playing the role of the slow-medium pacer.
Head to Head:
According to head-to-head records, it’s even-stevens between the two sides. KKR and KXIP won 5 games each out of the 10 games they played previously combining all the seasons.
Key Players:
David Hussey- This Australian right-hander is a key batsman for KXIP in the middle overs, especially with his ability to pile up quick runs when needed. He has also become an integral part of Punjab’s bowling with his slow off-spinners.
Praveen Kumar- With his much-known swing bowling capabilities, the medium pacer has been able to provide some early breakthroughs for his side. Punjab will be banking on him to get rid of the strong KKR top order.
KXIP’s strategy:
Considering that the match is to be played under lights and the deteriorating nature of the pitch, it will be wise for Punjab to bat first if they win the toss. They will also be aware of KKR’s chasing woes this season. They also might go for an extra spinner today leaving one of their pacers out.
Possible XI:
Luke Pomersbach didn’t fare too well in his first match against Delhi, which might force the team management to sit him out. Adam Gilchrist is also likely to play today considering the lack of options. Otherwise they are likely to field the same winning XI which played in the last game.
Adam Gilchrist(c/wk), Mandeep Singh, Luke Pomersbach/Azhar Mahmood, David Miller, M Vohra, David Hussey, Piyush Chawla, Praveen Kumar, Harmeet Singh, BA Bhatt and Parvinder Awana.