Kolkata Knight Riders now will look to turn the tables on Kings XI Punjab when then play IPL 2012 Match 22 at Mohali on April 18. Kolkata Knight Riders will have revenge on their mind when they travel to Mohali to take on Kings XI Punjab in their Indian Premier League game.

Kolkata Knight Riders look to turn the tables at Mohali

Knight Riders lost by two runs despite being on control of the match at 94-2 in the 15th over, chasing Punjab’s 134 for 9. Punjab registered their second of the tournament from four games and another win on Tuesday will see them move into the top half of the table. The Knight riders are also on four points but have already played five games and will also be aware that they have lost matches from a winning position consistently.

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir has said his team should have ‘easily’ beaten Kings XI Punjab, after restricting them to a total of 134, at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Knight Riders lost by two runs despite needing 13 runs off the last two overs, and a visibly annoyed Gambhir blamed the middle-order for the loss saying it’s time they shoulder more responsibility.

Although KKR bowling seemed to be good with Sunil Narine becoming the third bowler to bag five wickets in an IPL game against Punjab, joining Munaf Patel – 5 for 21 for Mumbai Indians at Mohali on May 10, 2011 and Lakshmipathy Balaji – 5 for 24 for Chennai Super Kings at Chennai on May 10, 2008. Kolkata has one of the best batting line-up with Jacques Kallis and Gambhir followed by the in-form Manvinder Bisla, Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan, Ryan ten Doeschate and Shakib-al-Hasan. Yusuf Pathan has registered his third duck in the IPL – his eighth in Twenty20. Pathan is a complete failure in the IPL 5, he is averaging 5.75, aggregating 23 runs in five matches.

Punjab, on the other hand, is looking forward for runs from skipper Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh. As, Mandeep Singh is the team’s highest run-getter and the other batsmen will have to come up with much bigger contributions if they are giving team a run for their money. Praveen Kumar is the only big-name bowler among their ranks and has largely been ineffective but in home conditions where the ball usually swings in the evening, the medium pacer could well be the difference between winning and losing.

In the present competition, Kolkata Knight Riders have lost three out of five played. They became the second team after Chennai to have lost three matches in the IPL 5. Kings XI Punjab has recorded their third narrowest victory in terms of runs in the IPL. They had defeated both Mumbai Indians (at Mumbai on May 21, 2008) and Deccan Chargers (at Johannesburg on May 17, 2009) by one run. In the IPL 2012, Kings XI Punjab has won two and lost two out of four contested.

After their loss on Sunday, Kolkata Knight Riders will be facing the same opposition at Mohali on Tuesday, followed by an away match against MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings at Cuttack. KKR cannot afford to lose more matches, just to spoil their chances of qualifying for IPL playoffs.

Tags: Cricket, Indian Premier League, IPL 2012, IPL 5, Kings XI Punjab, KKR, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mohali