Great expectations

Match facts

Sunday, April 20, 2008
Start time 16:00 local time (10:30 GMT)

The Big Picture

The match-up between two power-packed batting line-ups has the makings of a potential classic. The Kolkata Knight Riders have started off their campaign by running roughshod over the Bangalore Royal Challengers, but will now have to contend with the Deccan Chargers, a crack outfit born from clever buys in the IPL auctions. Brendon McCullum's astonishing assault in Bangalore brought team-owner Shah Rukh Khan to his feet, and may serve as a rallying call to Kolkata's passionate supporters. With 100,000 plus spectators set to be at the ground, this is the showpiece event of the first week.

Watch out for ...

... some exhilarating batting, especially from trans-Tasman foes turned team-mates. McCullum peppered the stands with 13 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 158, the highest score in domestic Twenty20s, and will be looking to repeat his heroics. If he fails, Kolkata have Ricky Ponting and David Hussey, as destructive as any on their day.

Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds, the second-most expensive player in the tournament, are set to give Hyderabad the impetus at the top order. Scott Styris, an effortless player when he gets in the groove, is a strong presence in the Hyderabad line-up, and local flavour may be provided by the talented Rohit Sharma. Hyderabad have some allround options: Symonds and Styris can slow down the run-rate and Nuwan Zoysa is capable off big strokes to go with his left-arm medium-pace.

Team news

Hyderabad will be without the services of Herschelle Gibbs (representing the Cape Cobras in the Pro20 semi-final in South Africa) and Shahid Afridi, who is in Pakistan's squad for the Twenty20 match against Bangladesh. Ravi Teja, the right-hand batsman who had an impressive debut in the recently concluded Ranji season, is rated by assistant coach Kanwaljeet Singh as a "brilliant prospect." He is expected to open the batting with the explosive Gilchrist, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against Ishant Sharma. Opening the bowling with RP Singh will be either Chaminda Vaas or Zoysa. Pragyan Ojha is a specialist spinning option, while the third seamers slot could be a toss-up between Sanjay Bangar and D Kalyankrishna. Bangar may get a game if Hyderabad decide to add depth to their batting order. Hyderabad will decide on the final composition of their line-up once Vaas and Chamara Silva join the squad tonight after flying in from Sri Lanka.

Hyderabad (probable) 1 Adam Gilchrist, 2 Ravi Teja, 3 VVS Laxman (capt), 4 Andrew Symonds, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Venugopal Rao, 8 Nuwan Zoysa/Chaminda Vaas, 9 Sanjay Bangar/D Kalyankrishna, 10 RP Singh, 11 Pragyan Ojha.

Kolkata are likely to retain the same squad that played in Bangalore, with Chris Gayle staying back in the West Indies with a groin strain picked up during the third ODI against Sri Lanka. "He [Gayle] is out for a fortnight at least," a spokesman for the Knight Riders told the Telegraph. Also, Wriddhiman Saha showcased his capability behind the stumps, and Kolkata may want to continue to play McCullum purely as a batsman.

Kolkata (probable) 1 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 David Hussey, 5 Mohammad Hafeez, 6 Laxmi Rattan Shukla, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Ashok Dinda, 10 Murali Kartik, 11 Ishant Sharma.

Stats and trivia

Symonds, at 187.05, has the best-ever strike-rate in domestic Twenty20s

Rohit is the only Indian to have a domestic Twenty20 hundred under his belt

Hussey is the fourth-highest run-getter in domestic Twenty20s, and that explains his $635,000 price tag

To go along with his century yesterday, McCullum now holds the record for the most number of sixes in an innings

RP Singh was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the World Twenty20 last year

Quotes

"I have a personal rapport with all the players and keep interacting with them. It should be comparatively easier for me to handle any situation on the field."
Laxman reveals all is well within the Hyderabad camp

"Being an actor, I have always thought every thing in larger-than-life perspective. Knight Riders' matches will also be no exception"
Shah Rukh adds to the build-up