Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re - in there last match | Send gifts to your love one's in India Kolkata, India - May 25, 2008

Match No. 52nd Preview. Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab at Kolkata

There is nothing to lose and playing for the pride and they want to have a happy ending to there IPL T20 Indian Premier League, 2008.

The Knight Riders, on 11 points from 13 matches, would seek to salvage some pride after a poor performance and their campaign on a positive note. The Sourav Ganguly-led squad had started the tourney well, winning their first two matches, but the exit of dashing wicket keeper batsman Brendon McCullum and senior batsman Ricky Ponting, besides the unavailability of injured West Indies willower Chris Gayle and the partial availability of Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar stymied their chances.

The dismal showing of Ganguly, excepting his two man-of-the-match performances, and the below-par performances of foreign recruits like Brad Hodge, Mohammed Hafeez, and India's Ishant Sharma, have also been contributory factors in the Knight Riders' debacle.

The team has also been dogged by controversies. Pacer Umar Gul lashed out against Ganguly's captaincy, while Salman Butt resented the team management's decision to use him off and on. There have been speculations of rift between Ganguly and coach John Buchanon as also between the skipper and owner Shah Rukh Khan. The team would like to exit from IPL with grace, hopefully.

Kings XI Punjab would seek to keep up the winning momentum ahead of their tough semi final outing as they take on Kolkata Knight Riders in an inconsequential Indian Premier League tie today afternoon.



The visitors have won nine games so far and would definitely strive to collect full points against a side which has not only looked lackluster but now must also be short of motivation with their semi final hopes evaporating into thin air.

Kings XI Punjab have put up an all-round good show in the tournament, riding on a collective effort by their players.

In the batting department, Australian Shaun Marsh, Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara and skipper Yuvraj Singh have been the mainstays for the Punjab side. Marsh has led the charts for his side amassing 438 runs at a highly impressive strike rate of 135.18, while Yuvraj pitched in with 219 and Sangakkara 203.

The Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia-owned team has looked impressive right through the tournament and would be rank favourites at the Eden Gardens. The tourists also have a strong bowling department, spearheaded by young pacer S Sreesanth who has bagged a rich haul of 16 wickets.

Fellow pacer Irfan Pathan has also served his team well, collecting 13 wickets, while young leg spinner Piyush Chawla earned 12 scalps.

Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Salman Butt, 2 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 3 David Hussey, 4 Debabrata Das, 5 Tatenda Taibu, 6 Laxmi Shukla, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk) (wk), 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashok Dinda.

Kings XI Punjab (probable): 1 James Hopes, 2 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 3 Yuvraj Singh (capt), 4 Luke Pomersbach, 5 Mahela Jayawardene, 6 Piyush Chawla, 7 Tanmay Srivastava, 8 Ramesh Powar, 9 Irfan Pathan, 10 VRV Singh, 11 Sreesanth.

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