Can they recover from Mumbai cyclone?

Chennai Superkings will clash with Kolkata Knight Riders after both teams suffered humiliating defeats against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede. Mumbai cruelly exposed weak links in both teams in those two matches. Both teams are not looking as tournament winners and they are just depending on 2 to 3 players. For Kolkata, it is Sourav Ganguly and David Hussey in batting and Shoaib Akhtar in bowling while it is Dhoni, Badrinath and Morkel are for Mumbai. Home ground advantage is a big plus point for Kolkata. To raise their semi-final chances hopes, they should win this game.

Match timings: 4 PM to 7 PM live from Eden Gardens on Set Max channel.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

1. Shoaib Akhtar is in superb form and even top players are struggling against him. If Akash Chopra took the Jayasuriya catch in the Mumbai match, He might have repeated his sensational performance as he did against Delhi. Weak Chennai top order will definitely struggle against Akhtar and Ishant Sharma.
2. Sourav Ganguly returned to form and he is effectively playing all-rounder role.
3. David Hussey is one man army for Kolkata in batting. If he falters, Kolkata stumbles.
4. At Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders always play well with the support of huge fans.

Chennai Superkings:

1. Dhoni and Badrinath are carrying weak Chennai batting on their shoulders.
2. Vidyut and Raina are playing inconsistently.
3. Albie Morkel is a dangerous all-rounder who is sorely missed in Kolkata lineup.
4. Balaji is a high quality bowler and Dhoni should use him more.
5. Gony is a good bowler but not a dangerous one. Muralidharan failed to reach expectations.

IPL Statistics and Records:

1. Dhoni is the leading scorer for Chennai and is in superb form in the recent matches.

Verdict: Both teams are banking on individual performances and result will depend on their performances. Both teams are even on cricket abilities but mental strength will decide the match winner. Both teams are struggling with their unpredictable batting performances. Can these victims of “Mumbai Cyclone” play an entertaining game? Punjab, Rajasthan and Mumbai will definitely reach semi-finals and for the fourth spot, there will be a tight contest between Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata. That’s why the result of this match is crucial for both teams. Chennai bowlers should exploit the weak batting of Kolkata Knight Riders to strengthen semi-final chances.

Latest news: Kolkata Knight Riders picked Sri Lankan young spinner Ajantha Mendis after sending back 5 local players back home. So management lost faith in Murali Karthik and Iqbal Abdulla.