New Delhi: The eighth edition of Indian Premier League enters its final stretch before the play-offs and title round. After the round 10, we have seen enough matches to differentiate contenders from pretenders. But unlike previous seasons, at least five teams are in contention for that all-important play-off spots.
And today's Eden Gardens clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Daredevils (DD) will provide further insights on which team can join the likes of Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore as the favourites.
KKR have won half the games they have played so far and are in the fourth place, with 10 points. They have been supreme at their own den and when the team from national capital play them tonight in Kolkata, it will be a tough ask for the visitors. After string of unfavourable results, Gautam Gambhir managed to lead his side out of the rut with two superb wins over Chennai and Hyderabad.
For DD, it's more of a roller-coster ride. Every win is interspersed with defeats. In their last five outings, they won against Mumbai and Punjab, but lost their last two games. With eight points from 10 matches, Jean-Paul Duminy can't afford to lost further ground if they are to keep their chances of playing in the play-offs alive.
Here are the five players whose performances will decide the fate of the match today:
Brad Hogg: The Australian entered the fray after Sunil Narine was called for suspected bowling action. But since then, Hogg has utilised all his experience and guile to torment opposition batsman. If the 44-year-old chinaman bowler manages to wield his magic again, KKR have better chance of winning the match. In the four matches, he has played so far, he has taken wickets in every match.
Yusuf Pathan: A typical hard-hitting player with lots of baggage in tow. If the Baroda player gets going, there is no stopping him. Despite starting the season with a string of poor performances, the all-rounder was pivotal in KKR's win against Hyderabad. And once again, his role will be important in defending champions' fortunes.
Yuvraj Singh: For the visitors, there is one man who can win matches single handedly. The talent with which Yuvaraj Singh plays cricket is beyond describable words. But in recent outings, he has failed to live-up to the expectation, and hype. But luckily for Delhi, he seemed to have shrugged off that torturous patch.
Angelo Mathews: Certainly one of the best all-rounders today, Mathews can bat, can bowl, and field. The Sri Lankan skipper also has a gifted cricketing brain. All these can help a fledging outfit like DD, if utilised properly. So far, that's not been the case. Hope, it happens today.
Gautam Gambhir: Kolkata skipper is a maverick. Yes, he has been in the IPL limelight since the beginning of the tournament in 2006, but the Delhi-batsman has been living by his rules and ethos. His unusual leadership skills, plus a classic batting style combined well to give KKR a punch no other franchise can afford to have. His own fortunes are directly linked to that of KKR's.
