http://www.senore.com/Cricket/G-Gambhir-c1447 backs KKR to defend “bruised self-pride” against Scorchers – Cricket News Update
Currently second from the bottom on the Group A table, with their chances of making it to the knockout stage of the ongoing Champions League Twenty20 hanging by a thread, the Kolkata Knight Riders are due to play a do-or-die match against the Perth Scorchers
today, and skipper Gautam Gambhir hopes their “bruised self-pride” will motivate them to perform in the crunch game.
“[Scorchers] have a balanced side, but we have a bruised self-pride, which, I am sure, is good to put up a much better show in the next game,” Gambhir wrote in the
Hindustan Times.
Winners of the 2012 edition of the Indian Premier League, the Knight Riders qualified automatically for the Champions League Twenty20 in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 after defeating the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL final during May this year.
However, their stint in the CLT20 has been nowhere near successful as yet. The team kicked off their CLT20 campaign with a match against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 Daredevils (who came third in the IPL this year), going on to concede a 52-run defeat after their top-order
underwent a complete collapse.
They also failed to turn their fortunes around in the second match, this time against New Zealand’s Auckland Aces, on October 15.
The team put forth an insipid and spiritless batting performance, with only Manvinder Bisla (38) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Manoj-Tiwary-c1890 were both dismissed on duck, while skipper Gambhir managed just 5. The
batsmen were sorely troubled by Azhar Mahmood, who conceded just 16 runs in 4 overs, in addition to picking up 3 wickets.
“It is disappointing for me that a champion team like [Kolkata] could not turn it around,” Gambhir wrote in regards to the match. “... it was disappointing to see the lack of fight in my team [against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Auckland-c766].
“Yes, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Azhar-Mahmood-c1116 bowled a brilliant 10th over ... but I think we should have fought a little more.”
Mahmood pressed on relentlessly, and followed up his bowling performance with an unbeaten half-century, with the Knight Riders eventually forced to concede a 7-wicket defeat. On the back of two successive losses, and with just two more matches left in the
tournament, the Knight Riders go into a must-win game against the Perth Scorers today on October 17, at Kingsmead in Durban.
Tags: