Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders – IPL 5 – Match Preview
The 10th match of the fifth edition of Indian Premier League pits a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, today, April 10, 2012.
The clash holds greater implications for the Kolkata franchise, which has yet to find their groove in this year’s competition. Back to back losses have put them under considerable scrutiny and another loss will be unthinkable, considering the resources they have at their disposal.
The problem lies upfront, and mainly with their high-profile players, all of whom have failed miserably. It starts with an uncharacteristically below par outings for the top three, where Jacques Kallis and Brendon McCullum have been unable to provide solid openings, while their skipper Gautam Gambhir’s own form has been poor. To add to the woes is the performances of their prized all-rounder, Yusuf Pathan. The player has yet to reach the heights he managed to achieve with his previous club - Rajasthan Royals.
He has not score a fifty for Kolkata, with 47 being his highest outing which came last year. His mediocre showings have been a cause of concern for the franchise, which needs a batting all-rounder who can produce fireworks in the crucial final overs.
The bench strength is superlative, with the likes of Eoin Morgan and Shakib Al Hasan waiting in the wings. However, the management will be tempted to go with the same mix of foreign players – allowing them to improve on their first two outings.
The bowling department looks solid, headed by Australian pacer Brett Lee, who has been in good form with both bat and ball. The other slot will be filled by Rajiv Bhatia and Iqbal Abdullah while Windies spinner Sunil Narine will be keenly hoping to prove his worth with a solid outing.
Their opponents, the Challengers, won their first game against Delhi Daredevils courtesy of an imposing unbeaten 64 off 42 by AB de Villiers. They began their innings on a promising note before faltering in the middle stages, but having someone of de Villiers’ calibre is surely an asset for a team, which is packed with power hitters.
Chris Gayle did not play the opening game but is expected to return for the clash. The other inbound player is Tillakaratne Dilshan, who after a disappointing second half of 2011 with the national team, has been able to find his old self. His availability means a selection dilemma skipper Daniel Vettori.
Andrew McDonald opened in the absence of Gayle and performed well (with both bat and ball) but his place remains the only slot, which is on offer for either the Windies or Sri Lankan power hitter to fill in.
Virat Kohli will also be looking to get some runs under his belt after missing out against his home town club. The bowling department however, is as strong as it could get with Vettori and Muttiah Muralitharan plying their art of spin, accompanied by the Indian pace duo of Vinay Kumar and Zaheer Khan.
The pitch will offer plenty of opportunity for batters to make their mark in the game. The last year’s clash at this venue was a reduced affair between the two sides, which Bangalore went onto win by 4 wickets after Gayle struck 38 off 12 balls, which included six fours and two sixes.
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