Have you not got enough dose of enticing close games in this edition of IPL? Then wait for more with just a few matches to conclude the league games, it’s all turned up.
With teams looking to make it to the playoffs except for Gujarat Lions and Bangalore, who are already ruled out.
Kolkata after clinching a win on Sunday night over Bangalore looks good to reach the playoffs but Punjab losing the last match has brought them into hot waters.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS:
Kolkata’s captain, Gautam Gambhir, and stand-in opener Sunil Narine – with a 76 run opening stand comprehensively gunned down an inform Punjab unit by eight wickets, with 21 balls to spare previously when they locked horns at the Eden Gardens.
Kolkata’s bowlers, Umesh Yadav in particular with a four-wicket haul made the job of their batting unit easier by restricting Punjab to a meagre 170. With regular opener, Chris Lynn, out due to injury, Kolkata promoted Narine up the order. The move paid rich dividends, as Narine made the most of the opportunity by thumping three sixes and four fours in his 18-ball 37. It was the eighth win by a chasing side in 11 games this season.
RECENT FORM:
W L W W W W L W W L L W
TALKING POINTS:
With Lynn back to open along with Narine’s power hitting is a huge boost for the team. After a few days of rest, Uthappa too would come back in the matches strengthening the middle order.
Gautam would not like to make many changes in his team except for Piyush Chawla and Sheldon Jackson, if Uthappa comes back. And if Coulter-Nile comes back, he would replace Ankit Rajput or Chawla.
This point is crucial for the team, if they want to make it to the top two in playoffs.
PREDICTED XI:
Sunil Narine, Gautam Gambhir (c), Chris Lynn, Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa (wk), Yusuf Pathan, Chris Woakes, Colin de Grandhomme, Ankit Rajput, Piyush Chawla, Umesh Yadav.