WHAT’S AT STAKE:
KKR: The Knight Riders are currently fourth on the table. With Mumbai close on their heels with the same number of points, a victory against Punjab will be a massive boost for their playoff hopes.
PBKS: Punjab can go level on points with both KKR & MI with a victory. A loss though will make it close to impossible for them to qualify for the playoffs, with KKR’s NRR far superior.
The Knight Riders have turned their season around. Barring a close loss against table-toppers Chennai Super Kings, KKR have won all their other three matches in the UAE leg of the IPL.
Eoin Morgan’s men are finally clicking as a unit. The introduction of Venkatesh Iyer has been a blessing for the Knight Riders. Be it his runs at the top of the order or his part-time medium pace, the team has reaped rich rewards from his performances.
KKR’s premier spin bowling department also deserves a lot of credit for their change in fortunes. Sunil Narine & Varun Chakravarthy haven’t just strangled oppositions in the middle overs, but even at the death a number of times.
Punjab’s biggest concern is their middle order. Chris Gayle & Nicholas Pooran have both been big disappointments. While Gayle has managed 193 runs in 10 games, Pooran has only scored 70 in the same number of matches. Aiden Markram looked good in the last game, but performances like that have been too few and far between for the Punjab Kings.
For them, Ravi Bishnoi’s return to form has been their biggest positive. While Arshdeep Singh and Mohammad Shami have impressed in patches, their death bowling still remains a concern.
On the injury front, KKR missed the services of Andre Russell in the last game and even Punjab were without their regular opener Mayank Agarwal. Whether both are fit enough to take the field remains to be seen. If Russell’s not fit, KKR might go in with an unchanged XI. Punjab on the other hand might be tempted to give Chris Jordan a game.
It’s now or never for the Punjab Kings. If they win, the mid-table muddle will only get more interesting. However, if KKR win, Eoin Morgan’s side will be the favourites to clinch that final playoff spot.
