Knights looking to restore pride, finish strongly

With the semifinal chances of the Knight Riders dependent on a mathematical miracle, the team will look to tonight's game as a chance to redeem reputations, change the mood, and keep at least the flicker of hope alive.

The Delhi Daredevils, touted as one of the IPL's most balanced sides, were beaten the last time they faced Kolkata, and Sourav Ganguly will hope for a repeat performance this time around.

Shoaib Akhtar, the architect of that victory, is unsure of playing at the Kotla, leaving Umar Gul and Ishant Sharma to lead the attack. Although the bowling seems to have fallen away somewhat after a brilliant start to the tournament, it is fair to say that the batsmen have hardly given them anything to bowl at. Against Rajasthan, they did reasonably well to make a fight of a sub-par total, before Yusuf Pathan took it away. If the batsmen manage to get a decent score, Ganguly will back his bowlers to defend it strongly.

For that to happen, however, the Knight Riders will need something that they haven't had all tournament, namely a good start. With pundits and fans calling for Mohammed Hafeez's head, John Buchanan and Ganguly will be wondering what the right combination should be. The rest of the batting, too, has been inconsisent, and they must shake off their indifferent form against an attack led by Glenn McGrath.

The Daredevils, too, are fighting for a semi-final slot, and a loss against the Knights could well see their chances go up in smoke.

In Sehwag and Gambhir, they have two of the most prolific batsmen in the IPL. Their battle against the Knight Riders new ball attack could be decisive. In the last game, they lost the battle, and with it, the match. But they will be much harder to dislodge at home.

Ganguly and his team must keep their chins up and go about the task with a positive attitude. If they let their ill-luck, circumstances and poor form affect their mindset, it will be a lost cause. However, if they go out on to the park and enjoy their cricket, the team has the quality to beat Delhi again.

The threat of rain looms large over the Kotla. Fans of both sides will be hoping that it clears up and we have forty overs of good cricket.