Preview: Pune Warriors India Vs. Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders have already secured their place in the play offs. Pune Warriors India, on the other hand, have not had a single victory in the recent past. But when these two teams come face to face, there is much more than the match at hand involved. Their previous encounter at KKR’s home ground was touted to be a cracker of a match which most people expected to end in a victory for PWI. But that was not the case; and today, when they face each other again, KKR will be playing for more than just another victory. They will be playing to end the qualifiers without the option of losing to a team that has gained a reputation of not being able to beat anyone – they will play for pride. PWI will be playing for much more than just a victory. They will be playing for a last shot at redemption to make up for their dismal season and a shot at making the score even.

Head to Head

PWI and KKR have faced each other twice so far. Their first confrontation was in IPL 2011, where KKR chased a target of 119 with ease, defeating PWI by 7 wickets. Their second encounter was at Eden Gardens in IPL 2012, where PWI could not reach their target of 151 and lost by 7 runs.

Players to watch out for

Kolkata Knight Riders

Gautam Gambhir has been a sound investment for KKR. He’s been consistent with the bat, accumulating runs when required and has been a great captain, complementing his strategies with a lead-by-example approach. KKR will not want to lose their last match before the play offs and Gambhir, who has led his team to nine victories out of 15 matches, will be quite a challenge for PWI to overcome.

Sunil Narine has had the IPL season that has left most teams wishing they’d invested in him. The current purple cap holder also holds the tiles of best average and best economy rates. His last encounter with PWI didn’t see him in his best form, but he’s riding on the high of 4 wickets in his last match against MI. PWI will do well to pay extra attention to Narine, who might just cost them their best batsmen.

Jacques Kallis has been thrust with many labels – great cricketer, forceful batsman and great team player are some. IPL 2012 has not been his best season, but his peers will vouch for his unquestionable talent. A player who can instill confidence in team mates and fear into opponents, KKR’s X factor might be too much for PWI to handle.

Pune Warriors India

Steven Smith has only grown in popularity as the season has progressed. And along with his popularity has grown his enthusiasm. The brightest ray of the PWI, Smith has steadily displayed his expertise. He’s batted with ease in the pressure situations and has been next to omnipresent on the field, not losing out on opportunities to take wickets. KKR will need to focus some attention on Smith who, if given the chance, can take the match away from them.

Angelo Mathews is a player with immense talent. He has shown considerable improvement since his entry into IPL 2012 and has established himself as one of the key players of PWI. In a team wrought with inconsistency, Mathews has become a player to bank on. PWI will be looking to him for some extraordinary performance in this match and KKR may have to work hard to curtail his potential.

Ashish Nehra started off on a high with his bowling getting PWI some important wickets and victories. But not much good can be said for his performance in the matches that followed the initial ones. The bowler, who has been facing a lot of heat for his poor game, turned things around in their last match against RR where he took 3 wickets. PWI’s X factor, all eyes will be on Nehra to recreate some of that magic and take those crucial wickets for his team.

Prediction

A victory for PWI will mean salvaging some reputations as their journey in IPL 2012 comes to an end. KKR has already secured its place in the play-offs but will not want to end their first round of matches with a loss. But based on their performance in the qualifiers, Kolkata Knight Riders are more likely to walk away with this game.