Knights look to regroup in Kings XI's lair

Friday, September 26, 2014
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

So far, Group B hasn't had a runaway leader, unlike Kolkata Knight Riders, who have already qualified for the semi-finals from Group A with three wins in a row. Kings XI Punjab, however, could match that on their home ground if they beat a vulnerable-looking Northern Knights side. Were the reverse to happen, three teams will be tied for the group lead with eight points each.

After four wins in a row to start their campaign, Knights' weaknesses - hidden till then by the rampaging form of their openers - were ruthlessly exposed by Hobart Hurricanes in an 86-run mauling on Tuesday, with the middle order, brought to the crease early for the first time in the tournament, crumbling under scoreboard pressure.

From Knights' perspective, Kings XI Punjab are perhaps the ideal bowling attack to go up against after such a dispiriting batting failure. While Anureet Singh and Parvinder Awana were impressive in restricting Hurricanes to 144, the same pair of seamers went for plenty against Barbados Tridents. With injury robbing their attack of Mitchell Johnson's pace and Sandeep Sharma's new-ball swing, Kings XI's bowling is inconsistent at best and suspect at worst.

Still, their batsmen are capable of posting totals beyond anyone else's reach and chasing down pretty much any target. Knights' bowling, which slipped up badly - and quite literally, considering how heavy the dew was - against Hurricanes after a superb start with the new ball, will face probably their stiffest test when they come up against Kings XI. They will need to exert a lot of control if Knights are to achieve what no other non-IPL side has done in the group stage of this tournament, beating an IPL side.

Kings XI Punjab WWLWL (most recent first, completed matches only)
Northern Knights LWWWW

Thisara Perera didn't get to play a single game for Kings XI in the IPL, but he's grabbed the opportunity afforded by the absence of Mitchell Johnson. Perera picked up four wickets in two matches with his medium-pace, conceding under six runs an over in both matches, and his unbeaten 35 was instrumental in the five-wicket win over Hurricanes. In a team with an inexperienced bowling attack and a batting line-up that can have the odd hiccup thanks to its strategy of going hard at the bowling right through the innings, he performs a valuable function.

On the slow pitches in Raipur, the slow-medium offcutters of Scott Styris, allied to a nagging stump-to-stump like, were virtually un-hittable. Mohali offers much truer pace and bounce, and it remains to be seen how he will adjust, particularly against a batting line-up of such unrelenting aggression.

"I think I have faced less than 20 balls this entire tournament simply because the top-order has done so well. On the one hand I am disappointed that we lost the other day, but on the other I am glad that I got a bit of a bat against a good quality bowling attack that Hobart Hurricanes has.''
Northern Knights allrounder Scott Styris takes some positives out of the heavy defeat to Hobart Hurricanes

"I don't think we have played a great game of cricket yet, particularly with the bat. I think we have bowled nicely in a couple of games, but I think our batting still hasn't clicked, so there is lot to improve."
Kings XI Punjab captain George Bailey thinks his team is yet to play to potential in the tournament