Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in the ongoing Indian Premier League. The match is very important for the Mumbai team as they are in a fight with five other teams for a spot in the playoffs. KKR and Delhi Daredevils are the two teams who are almost certain for the playoffs and that has left two slots open.

Mumbai have had an inconsistent tournament so far. They have played some commanding cricket in some games and some ordinary cricket in others. KKR on the other hand have had a very good run and are on 17 points. A win will take them once again on the top of the league table.

Let’s have a look at some of the players who can have an influence on the game.

Mumbai Indians:

Rohit Sharma: Just like his team, this talented batsman is also having an inconsistent tournament. He has played some match winning knocks and there have been a number of innings where he has played some rash strokes to get out. With T20 world cup selection round the corner this talented Mumbai batsman will be looking to make a solid impression.

Ambati Rayudu: He hasn’t got much opportunity to bat at the top of the order and he will be itching to have a full go. Rayudu is a good stroke player and has played important role in some of Mumbai’s victories.

Lasith Malinga: Mumbai depends a lot on this talented fast bowler and he has not disappointed even once. He has been the pick of the Mumbai’s bowlers and is in the race for purple cap. Malinga’s job in this match will be to get Gautam Gambhir out as he has been having a dream run.

Harbhajan Singh: He has bowled with a lot of aggression but has failed to pick many wickets. KKR’s middle order is struggling and it will be Harbhajan’s job to make them suffer once again. With the bat he is dangerous and has played some good innings in the tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Gautam Gambhir: He has been the best batsman for KKR and is in the race for the esteemed orange cap. Gambhir has a lot of pressure as the rest of the batsmen have been an utter disappointment. Some of the big names like Kallis and Pathan have struggled and that makes Gambhir’s role that more important.

Brendon McCullum: He had a terrible start to the tournament but has played a couple of good innings in the recent past. He is still not at his dominating best and his strike rate has been down compared to his career strike rate. McCullum is a dangerous batsman and has the ability to win a match single-handedly.

Sunil Narine: Narine has been the best bowler on display for KKR. Along with Gambhir, Narine is the reason why Kolkata is doing so well in the tournament. His economy rate is the best in the tournament and he is also in the race for the purple cap. Narine bowls beautifully in the death overs and will be hoping to continue his good run.

Jacques Kallis: Kallis may have been struggling with the bat, but with the ball he has been effective. He has bowled some crucial spells for the Knight Riders and he will have to be at his best against the strong Mumbai batting line up.



By Gaurav Jha

Indian Sports News