KKR, DD look to reverse fortunes with victory in first match

Apr 04, 2012 |

Kolkata

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Underachievers in the last four seasons, both Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils would look to reverse their fortunes when they kickstart their IPL-V campaign against each other at the Eden Gardens here tomorrow.

Both the teams have the right ingredients, which are needed for a perfect Twenty20 recipe, but the biggest challenge before them would be to make winning a habit this season and pose serious threats to the likes of Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Royals Challengers Bangalore.

For Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir, who has been stripped of Indian vice-captaincy, the tournament would mean a lot personally as he would be eager to let his leadership skills do the talking, besides contributing at the top of the order.

The Knight Riders look a far more settled side this time around after roping in former player and New Zealand's explosive opener Brendon McCullum, and their USD 700,000 catch in West Indian offspinner Sunil Narine, who promises to be the one to look out for.

For Trinidad and Tobago in last season's Champions League Twenty20, Narine was at his best scalping 10 wickets and gave away a miserly 4.37 runs per over.

Most top batsmen found it difficult to read the off-spinner and in the Indian conditions Narine is expected to revel alongside Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, one of the finest all-rounders in the world at the moment.

To add to it, the return of McCullum, who smashed a 73-ball 158 for the Knight Riders in the very first IPL match of season one four years back, is certain to bring smiles back on the faces of the fans of the Kolkata outfit.

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