Kolkata, Apr 23: Kolkata Knight Riders would aim to score their third successive triumph and extend Deccan Chargers' winless streak when the two sides clash for the second consecutive time in three days in an IPL match here tomorrow.
On paper, the Knight Riders might have won four out of their last five matches to suggest that they have become a force to reckon with. But a closer look would reveal that they are still a struggling a bit as far as their star-studded batting line-up is concerned.
Former IPL champions Deccan Chargers are yet to click as a team with their butter-fingered fielders being the reason of their last few losses. Having lost all their five matches, Deccan Chargers will now have a tough task in the remaining 11 to go beyond the league stage.
Defending a paltry 127, the Chargers had the match against KKR in their hands till the penultimate over when Anand Rajan dropped Debabrata Das, something that enabled the Knight Riders stutter to a last over victory after yet another top-order collapse.
As the Knight Riders huffed and puffed chasing the small total, it once again brought back the memories of their two-run loss to Kings XI Punjab in another low-scoring chase of 135.
This time, they crossed the line aided by some inexperienced fielding but Gautam Gambhir would surely want their batting to come to terms before the contest intensifies for the final leg before the last four stage.
Yusuf Pathan is yet to justify his USD 2.1 million price tag as he aggregates 29 runs from seven matches this season, averaging a pathetic 5.80.
The Baroda all-rounder, who was instrumental in Rajasthan Royals triumph in the inaugural edition, is yet to score a half-century for the Knight Riders.
