Kolkata Knight Riders and the South Australian Redbacks will seek to claim their first Champions League T20 points when they clash in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Knight Riders have lost a close game to Somerset Sabres while the Redbacks faced defeat at the hands of the Chevrolet Warriors and the two teams can not afford another defeat in the competition.
With the Warriors having won their two matches so far, South African outfit is almost sure to become one of the two teams from the group to qualify for the last four with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Somerset also competing for a place in the next round.
On paper, Knight Riders have a better ensemble of match-winners in skipper Gautam Gambhir, all-rounder Jacques Kallis, big-hitting Yusuf Pathan, pacer Brett Lee and support from all-rounders Ryan ten Doeschate and Shakib –al-Hasan and useful Indians players like Manoj Tiwary and Iqbal Abdullah.
The Kolkata side is also a lot more balanced for playing in Indian conditions and especially at the Rajiv Gandhi international stadium, which is likely to favour the spinners. The Redbacks will have to come to terms with the left-arm spin of Shakib and Abdullah while the part-time bowling of Pathan and Rajat Bhatia will also come in handy.
With several pacers among the ranks, the Australian side will also be hoping off-spinner Nathan Lyon and leg-spinner Adil Rashid come good after each bowled two disappointing overs in the game against Warriors. Both the skippers were aware of the do-or-die situation facing them but preferred to look at the positives.
"Sometimes it is good to know you have to win all the games. We have a lot of strength in the dressing room," said Gambhir. "There's a long way to go in the tournament. We know we still have three games and if we win all three we can go through," said Klinger.
"We have had a lot of match practice back in Australia. We had three or four days where it rained in Kolkata and couldn't get outdoors but rustiness certainly is no excuse." Redbacks have struggled with both bat ball in alien conditions and will have to raise their game several notches to repeat their semi-final appearance last year.
Squad:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Jacques Kallis, Manvinder Bisla, Gautam Gambhir (C), Manoj Tiwary, Rajat Bhatia, Yusuf Pathan, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Shakib Al Hasan, Brett Lee, Iqbal Abdulla, L Balaji.
South Australian Redbacks: Daniel Harris, Michael Klinger, Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Cameron Borgas, Daniel Christian, Tim Ludeman, Aaron O'Brien, Adil Rashid, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Tait
With the Warriors having won their two matches so far, South African outfit is almost sure to become one of the two teams from the group to qualify for the last four with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Somerset also competing for a place in the next round.
On paper, Knight Riders have a better ensemble of match-winners in skipper Gautam Gambhir, all-rounder Jacques Kallis, big-hitting Yusuf Pathan, pacer Brett Lee and support from all-rounders Ryan ten Doeschate and Shakib –al-Hasan and useful Indians players like Manoj Tiwary and Iqbal Abdullah.
The Kolkata side is also a lot more balanced for playing in Indian conditions and especially at the Rajiv Gandhi international stadium, which is likely to favour the spinners. The Redbacks will have to come to terms with the left-arm spin of Shakib and Abdullah while the part-time bowling of Pathan and Rajat Bhatia will also come in handy.
With several pacers among the ranks, the Australian side will also be hoping off-spinner Nathan Lyon and leg-spinner Adil Rashid come good after each bowled two disappointing overs in the game against Warriors. Both the skippers were aware of the do-or-die situation facing them but preferred to look at the positives.
"Sometimes it is good to know you have to win all the games. We have a lot of strength in the dressing room," said Gambhir. "There's a long way to go in the tournament. We know we still have three games and if we win all three we can go through," said Klinger.
"We have had a lot of match practice back in Australia. We had three or four days where it rained in Kolkata and couldn't get outdoors but rustiness certainly is no excuse." Redbacks have struggled with both bat ball in alien conditions and will have to raise their game several notches to repeat their semi-final appearance last year.
Squad:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Jacques Kallis, Manvinder Bisla, Gautam Gambhir (C), Manoj Tiwary, Rajat Bhatia, Yusuf Pathan, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Shakib Al Hasan, Brett Lee, Iqbal Abdulla, L Balaji.
South Australian Redbacks: Daniel Harris, Michael Klinger, Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Cameron Borgas, Daniel Christian, Tim Ludeman, Aaron O'Brien, Adil Rashid, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Tait