Kolkata Knight Riders and their fans have enjoyed some great moments in the presence of the Principal owner, Shah Rukh Khan!
He had applauded the team and gave confidence and have the drwan massive crowd on the stadium. But in the tenth edition, he may avoid some matches on the home ground.
Shah Rukh Khan, who left for the US on Wednesday, will miss at least five of the seven home matches of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL.
“Look, Shah Rukh will try to make it for the May 3 game, against the Rising Pune Supergiant, but if he cannot then he’ll certainly be at the Eden for KKR’s last home match, on May 13, against the Mumbai Indians,” Venky Mysore, the franchise’s CEO, told The Telegraph late on Wednesday.
Shah Rukh has, over the years, cut down on his appearances at both the home and away games of KKR, but to miss as many as at least five on the trot (as he is attending the San Francisco Film Festival, Shah Rukh would head to Canada to honour a commitment in Vancouver) would be significant.
KKR were grounded in their second match against MI after making a flying start to IPL-10 with a 10-wicket win against Gujarat Lions.
To add to Kolkata’s woes, new-found hero Chris Lynn has been ruled out of their first home match, against Punjab at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday.
Their opponents have been clinical in executing their plans so far, winning both games with plenty to spare. Both those matches were at their second ‘home’ Indore, so this will be Punjab’s first test in alien conditions.
KKR will look forward to welcoming back Team India pacer Umesh Yadav, who was rested following a hectic Test season. Umesh is likely to replace Ankit Rajpoot as the home team is expected to go in with three pacers. Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-Al-Hasan will most likely replace Lynn to provide stability to the middle and lower down, as well as give skipper Gambhir another spinning option. Robin Uthappa, who was Gambhir’s steady opening partner in the last few seasons, could well return to the top of the order in Lynn’s absence.
SRK’s absence m must be disheartening but the home team would look for another victory