 The Kolkata Knight Riders will face the Rajasthan Royals in the
53rd game of the IPL, to be played at the Eden Gardens. Both sides are in a must-win
scenario, but this game assumes much more importance for the Rajasthan Royals,
for whom, this is the 14th and the final game of the competition.
The sides will be going into the game with 12 points each and will need to
play to the best of their capabilities to think of winning. Unfortunately, the
Knight Riders have been in some awful form, which has also led the captain Sourav Ganguly to call the performance of his side in the competition, as pathetic. And the manner in which Chennai beat the Knight Riders, it really seemed like
the Kolkata of the previous year had resurfaced.
Click for Live Score Card of Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Jaipur Rajasthan RoyalsDespite the Knight Riders still in with a chance to qualify for the semi-finals,
what needs to be seen is whether they have the wherewithal to do so. With a
sulking captain, and a middle order which barely seems to be performing along
with the pace bowling attack that has hardly got going, life has been a bed
of thorns for the Knight Riders and the Rajasthan Royals will look to take full
toll of the same.
What Ganguly could look at doing is probably to end David Hussey at
the number three position, and have Brendon McCullum batting at five or six,
when there are five or six overs remaining.
For the Rajasthan Royals, they would have been waiting for such news of disgruntlement
in the opposition camp. Shane Warne is a master tactician and will look
to exploit this, along with the likes of Shane Watson. Watson had nearly got
into an argument with the Mumbai Indians batsman, Saurabh Tiwary, and he would
look to not rubbing the wrong side of the match referee for too long.
Having said that, the Royals look like a far superior side, and every time,
it looks like Yusuf Pathan has been controlled he comes out with a performance
to remember. It does look like Pathan would be waiting in the wings for such
an encore and would look to make the innings count.
The other main weapon in the side for the Royals would be their openers. While
they have not fired, have Michael Lumb and Naman Ojha, in the last couple
of games, one can be rest assured that they will look to go all out after the
bowling. Men to watch out for!
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