Following their 11-match winning streak, Kolkata Knight Riders will be aiming to keep their juggernaut rolling as they meet Perth Scorchers in their third Group A league match of the Champions League T20 in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
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The reigning Indian Premier League champions started their CLT20 campaign on a positive note beating the formidable Chennai Super Kings and the Lahore Lions in their first two group league matches.
KKR have done well in all departments with noted top and middle-order batsmen among runs. Skipper Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa came good in the last match against Lahore Lions while Andre Russell and Ryan ten Doeschate won it from an improbable position in the first match against the CSK.
The bowling attack has been led by West Indies spinner Sunil Narine, who was miserly and effective in both those matches.
Scorchers are a good blend of youth and experience
However, the Scorchers are no mere pushovers.
With explosive batsmen of the likes of Mitchell Marsh, the Scorchers look good to test KKR’s bowlers.
Needing 12 off the last two deliveries in the last match against the Dolphins, Marsh dispatched seamer Robbie Frylinck over deep mid-wicket and long-on to successfully chase down a target of 165.
The Scorchers will have a bit of experience with seasoned Aussie Brad Hogg trying to restrict the opposition with his ‘Chinaman’ while Pakistani T20 freelance medium-pacer Yasir Arafat gives them some more depth with his all-round ability.
All in all, expect a clash of equals on Wednesday.
The teams (from):
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (C ), Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine, Jacques Kallis, Ryan ten Doeschate, Pat Cummins, Andre Russel and Manvinder Bisla.
Perth Scorchers: Adam Voges, Ashton Agar, Y asir Arafat, Michael Beer, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brad Hogg, Simon Mackin, Mitchell Marsh, Joel Paris, Craig Simmons, Ashton Turner and Sam Whiteman.
