IPL 2020, Indian Premier League, Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders Preview: KXIP In Pain, KKR May Add More

As far as Kings XI Punjab are concerned, their matches, and losses, are coming in way too thick and fast. For a franchise that began with quite a bang, KXIP have simply evaporated from the IPL 2020 Points Table, with four straight losses. Their rivals, Kolkata Knight Riders, who were not particularly happy themselves, managed to get past an insipid batting performance from Chennai Super Kings and find themselves in the top half of the table. Another loss for KXIP will in all

likelihood will be relegated to the role of spoilers for the rest. They need a miraculous comeback, but with their bowling, that looks a far cry.

KXIP have struggled to see even two bowlers come good together in any match. In fact, between the last match with SunRisers Hyderabad and the one before against CSK, KXIP had gone wicketless for an astonishing 32.5 overs, conceding 341 runs. It was only thanks to some largesse from the SRH batsmen that KXIP were even in the match on Thursday.

But then, the batsmen caved in.

Four losses out of five, with two points from 10, KXIP are just about still on the table.

KKR are in a much happier position, on 4th place and still in the race for knockout slots. While it is still a little early to make any radical calls about who will go through, Kolkata would like to believe there are some matches that they can surely win.

One of them could be against KXIP. While the KKR batting is still all over the park, at least they moved Sunil Narine out of the opener's slot. Rahul Tripathi took over brilliantly, winning accolades from Shah Rukh Khan, but then the rest struggled.

Taking nothing away from Tripathi, anyone is now a better opener than Narine and it is still inconceivable that the West Indian is at 4 and Eoin Morgan at 5!

There is no question that the seasoned Irishman needs to come in at 4, get enough time to settle, and then lead the assault. More so since those before him, like Narine, and those after, including even Andre Russell, simply don't seem to be connecting bat to ball.

The bowling largely delivered against CSK, who didn't really shine with the bat.

KKR would love for Pat Cummins to make the early breakthroughs, but they can't really complain, since the bowlers have stuck to their task.

Topics mentioned in this article

Kings XI Punjab Kolkata Knight Riders KL Rahul Dinesh Karthik IPL 2020 Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Match 24 Cricket