Preview: KXIP vs RR

What

The Kings XI Punjab look ready to roar back into semi-final contention against the Rajasthan Royals

When

March 24, 2010

Where

The Punjab Cricket Association, Mohali. Their only victory for the Kings XI was achieved in Chennai and they would be looking to continue their winning form in Mohali as well. The Royals, on the other hand, won their first match at their second home Motera, so they too would be hoping to carry the winning momentum into their next match.

The Protagonists

Both these teams gained their first victory of the tournament in the previous match they played against their opponents. The Kings XI Punjab left their victory late against the Chennai Super Kings, snatching it in the Super Over. They would want to get a comfortable win against the Rajasthan Royals this time. Bowlers such as Piyush Chawla, Irfan Pathan and new addition Juan Theron did a decent job against the Super Kings and would be looking for a repeat of that performance.

The Rajasthan Royals would turn to their wily and prudent skipper Shane Warne once again, as his vice-like grip on the flow of the match secured them their much needed victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Faiz Fazal was a revelation for the Royals in the last match and would be hoping that the youngster will perform just as well against the opposition this time around.

What next?

It’s a battle between the bottom two teams in the table. A victory would be the only remedy to ease the pressure on both these sides and shape their ambitions for a semi-final spot. A loss, however, would make things only grimmer for either team, who have the same number of points but Rajasthan are placed below Punjab on the basis of net run-rate. A loss would send either of them into emergency mode, but a win can inject that much needed dose of hope and confidence for their future encounters.