http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779 rates Kolkata Knight Riders as favourite of IPL 5 – Cricket News Update
Kumar Sangakkara, the Deccan Chargers’ skipper, feels that Kolkata Knight Riders is the favourite team to win the fifth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and praised the leadership skills of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/G-Gambhir-c1447.
Deccan only has five points after a dozen matches and is at the bottom of the points table. Chargers are out of contention to qualify for the play-off stage of the tournament and have been the only massive disappointment of the current season.
There are a number of star-studded teams in the tournament like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, the former Sri Lankan captain is of the opinion that the Knight Riders have shown brilliant form in the on-going
season and possesses brilliant team spirit, which is vital for the shortest format of the game.
Kolkata is presently leading the points table with 17 points after 12 fixtures. The wicketkeeper/batsman feels that the captaincy of Gambhir has played a massive role in Kolkata’s success this year.
“On form, I would say Kolkata Knight Riders. They have been playing exceptionally well. I think you have to give credit to the way Gautam [Gambhir] has managed to get those guys to gel together. They have some top quality in that side,” he expressed.
Sangakkara further added that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 and Chennai are also good teams but the latter has so far not been able to get its act together in the current season. Chennai happens to be the defending champions as it won the previous two editions of the tournament
but this year, it is reeling at number seven on the points table.
The left-handed batsman feels that foreign players do play a huge role in a team’s success in the cash-rich league but expressed that the local players also have to take the responsibility.
Former Sri Lankan captain added, “The most balanced sides in this tournament appeared to be Delhi and Chennai. Unfortunately, Chennai has had a kind of an up-and-down season. Royal Challengers [Bangalore] have an incredible side as well. I think the most
important thing when you look at all these sides is the quality of the local Indian players.”
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