JOIN USBruised Knight Riders target revival
On a roll with successive wins, Sunrisers Hyderabad stand in the way of two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders, who would be looking to bring their campaign back on track at home during their Indian Premier League clash here on Saturday.
With two wins from two matches, SRH lead the table ahead of Chennai Super Kings on net run rate.
The home side, on the other hand, will be smarting from a heartbreaking defeat against Chennai Super Kings despite posting a 200-plus total.
On paper, Kane Williamson-led SRH are one of the most balanced sides, boasting an experienced batting line up and an equally effective bowling unit, a dream combination for any captain.
But the visitors did not look too convincing in a modest chase against Mumbai Indians on Thursday night before pulling off a one-wicket victory off the last ball, a first in IPL history.
On a day when the bowlers lived up to their reputation by restricting MI to 147 for eight, SRH's experienced batsmen almost threw the match away as eventually it was the last-wicket pair of Deepak Hooda and No 11 Billy Stanlake who scrambled home.
At 56 for no loss after Power Play, SRH were cruising but the likes of Wriddhiman Saha, Kane Williamson, Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey, who form the fulcrum of their batting got out in 27 runs to make the chase look so hard.
Leading 8-4 on head-to-head count, KKR will fancy chances against a team who had lost by 17 runs the last time they clashed at Eden Gardens in the last edition.
Having failed to defend a tall of 203, courtesy some tactical blunders and R Vinay Kumar's profligacy at the death, KKR would look to tighten their bowling attack and veteran pacer Mitchell Johnson is all set to return.
It also remains to be seen whether they run out of patience with Vinay Kumar who failed to defend 17 runs in the last over against CSK and was later trolled on social media.
Thankfully for KKR the batting has clicked big time in Chennai where Andre Russell led the charge with an unbeaten 88 from 36 balls.
It will also be an emotional moment for Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan who where part of KKR's success journey in winning two titles in 2012 and 2014 as they will now turn out from the opponent's dressing room at the Eden.
Shakib bowling in tandem with Rashid Khan could be a threat to Kolkata.