With most of their first-choice players suffering from injury, Kings XI Punjab face an uphill task to put it across Delhi Daredevils in their IPL season-3 opener in Mohali on Saturday.
Punjab team has appointed new captain in Kumar Sangakkara to replace the local boy Yuvraj Singh and Sri Lankan skipper's first task would be to see his team through against a dangerous Delhi side, which boast of players like captain Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, and T20 specialist David Warner to name a few.
Yuvraj, the dashing left-hander and experienced campaigner in this format of the game, who has the record of hitting six sixes in a Twenty20 international to his credit, has been nursing a wrist injury he picked up during India's tour of Bangladesh and his participation in the opener looks extremely doubtful.
Shaun Marsh, Punjab's success story in IPL inaugural edition, also looks unlikely to be fit for the start and in his absence Sangakkara might open the innings along with young Punjab Ranji batsman Karan Goel.
Their most expensive overseas player, fast bowler Brett Lee is also beset with fitness problems and might have to wait for a couple more games before making return to high-voltage cricket since announcing his retirement from Test cricket early this year. PTI
