2012 CLT20: Kolkata Knight Riders V Titans – Match Preview
Gautam Gambhir led winless Kolkata Knight Riders are all set to take on unbeaten Nashua Titans in their Champions League T20 swansong, here at Newlands in Cape Town tonight, October 21, 2012.
For the reigning IPL champions – after two defeats and a no result, against Perth Scorchers – their Champions League hopes have already been dashed. Gambhir and men have had a nightmarish run in this edition of the esteemed Twenty20 league. They started their 2012 CLT20 campaign with a 52-run defeat at the hands of IPL team Delhi Daredevils, before being annihilated by qualifiers Auckland Aces by seven wickets.
Their last match against Perth Scorchers at Kingsmead, Durban on Wednesday was washed out due to persistent showers, hence ending their hopes of moving to the tournament semis, starting at Durban, from October 25. Tonight’s fixture gives them one last chance to salvage some pride before bidding farewell to the rainbow nation.
With one foot already out of the tournament, the IPL side will be playing with nothing to lose. However, the task will be easier said than done for the Knight Riders, as they have not only looked completely out of sorts on the bouncy South African pitches, but will also be up against a side that has been on roll right from the start of the esteemed tournament.
Gambhir led KKR have failed to impress in all departments of the game so far in the tournament. Their top order has looked extremely fragile, and its instability has been one major reason behind the team’s poor run in the global Twenty20 league. Skipper Gambhir has managed to score just five runs in two innings, while veteran South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is yet to get off the mark.
New Zealand import Brendon McCullum is the only batsman to have impressed a bit with the bat, scoring 40 against Auckland Aces, and sending him to open the innings in place of Bisla or Gambhir would be a much better option.
Their bowling has been equally unimpressive, with Lakshmipathy Balaji's performance being the major cause for concern. The Tamil pacer, who made his T20I debut during the recently concluded World T20 championship in Sri Lanka, has been one of the most expensive bowlers in the tournament, conceding 116 runs in 11 over he has bowled so far.
The Titans on the other hand need just one more win to confirm a berth in the tournament’s final-fours and are unlikely to disturb their winning combination, barring injuries. Jacques Rudolph and Henry Davids have been magnificent with the bat at the top. Whilst Davids, 32, has given the hosts some blistering starts, 31-year-old Rudolph has carried his innings through with some consistent knocks.
Their bowling has also been exceptional in the tournament with Alfonso Thomas and Cornelius de Villiers leading from the front. The home side will hope for the duo to strike early again tonight as they aim to confirm a spot in the tournament semis.
Weather forecast for Cape Town is not encouraging, with the met department predicting 70 percent chances of showers on Sunday.
Teams:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (Capt), Lakshmipathy Balaji, Rajat Bhatia, Manvinder Bisla (WK), Debabrata Das, Iqbal Abdulla, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee, Brendon McCullum (WK), Sunil Narine, Yusuf Pathan, Pradeep Sangwan, Shakib Al Hasan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Manoj Tiwary.
Nashua Titans: Martin van Jaarsveld (Capt), Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids, AB de Villiers (WK), Cornelius de Villiers, Paul Harris, Heino Kuhn (WK), Eden Links, Ethy Mbhalati, Mangaliso Mosehle, Rowan Richards, Jacques Rudolph, Alfonso Thomas, Roelof van der Merwe, David Wiese.
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