The Knights' foreign cavalry

It’s nine down, and seven more to go. That’s how the equation stands for Kolkata Knight Riders as of now. They are sitting at 2nd position quite comfortably with 11 points in their kitty, one less than leaders Delhi Daredevils who have played one match less. So looking at the Points Table, it may be said that the Knights have done a pretty decent job till now. They started off on a bitter note losing the first two matches, but bounced back strongly winning 5 out of the next 7 match with one getting washed out without a ball being bowled.

So how have the players fared? Pretty well, you would say! But let me re-frame my question a bit. How have the foreigners fared in this season? KKR have used as many as 7 foreigners this season. This is how they have performed :

Jacques Kallis : He has been in good nick playing the supporting role to the likes of Gautam Gambhir. He has shown his class in the last match where he started off slowly scoring at run-a-ball, but took off in the death overs with huge hits to the fence which included a massive 93 m six. He has scored 157 runs in the 9 matches and has provided the breakthrough with the ball whenever KKR needed him.

Brendon McCullum : He has been a disappointment for the franchisee. Much was expected from McCullum but he continued to disappoint his fans in the 4 matches he played. However, he seemed to have hit some kind of form in the last match scoring 41 off 37 runs. Much will depend on him as the opening batsman to provide a solid start for his team.

Brett Lee : His figures may not seem that attractive (5 wickets from 6 matches), but to be fair, he has been a terrific asset to the franchisee. He has successfully restricted the batsmen and that is evident from his impressive economy rate. A brilliant fielder in the outfield, Lee also possesses the ability to hit some boundaries with the bat when needed. He is a seasoned campaigner and needs to keep on producing the goods for his team.

Sunil Narine : With 11 wickets from 6 matches, Narine has been the pick of the bowlers for Kolkata Knight Riders. He has been successful in making life difficult for the batsmen, particularly on the Eden strip which has complimented him perfectly. It will be quite some time before KKR fans forget his superb five-wicket haul against the Kings XI Punjab this season.

Merchant De Lange : Fans were extremely curious to see this South African youngster play in the Indian Premier League. He was given a chance in the very first match but he made a perfect mess of his opportunity as he returned with figures of 0/36 against the Delhi Daredevils which meant he would have to sit out in the remaining matches.

Shakib al Hasan : He has caught the eye from the very first match that he played. The numero uno all-rounder in the world has been a good buy for KKR and he has steeped up to the occasion with 6 wickets in 3 matches including a Man of the Match performance.

Ryan ten Doeschate : A perfect combination of batting, bowling and fielding, the adorable Tendo has made good work of his limited chances. Superb in the field, Tendo is a reliable option with the bat and his ability to roll his arm over gives him an added advantage. He has played only three matches so far and his fans will hope he will get at least another match in front of his favorite Eden crowd.

Let’s wait and watch if these foreign weapons can turn fortunes around for the Knights.