It is so easy that even a five-year-old can tell you who are the favourites in Sunday’s match between Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders. What would be uppermost in everybody’s mind is whether Punjab’s Glenn Maxwell will be able to score a century, which has eluded him four times.
The Australian has become a nightmare for the bowlers, accumulating 460 runs, including four fifties from eight innings so far. Besides, he tops the list in strike rate (204.44) and hitting fours (43) and sixes (29).
Reverse-hitting both pace and spin, for effortless sixes, Maxwell has taken the art and science of batting to a new level. And he is doing this without any fuss. Another virtue of Maxwell is that he always puts his team’s interest above his own. Come Sunday, a 40,000-strong crowd will love to see him get the well-deserved hundred. If successful, he will be the first batsman to achieve the feat in the ongoing edition.
Among others, South African David Miller is placed fourth in the list of scorers with 284, including three half-centuries. Virender Sehwag (181), captain George Bailey (110), opener Cheteshwar Pujara (125) and stumper Wriddhiman Saha (94) have also played valuable knocks when required.
Batting has been Punjab’s main strength even though their bowlers too have won matches. The pace-heavy attack has proved competent with Sandeep Sharma occupying the third spot in the wicket-takers’ list with 13. He is followed by Laxmipathy Balaji (11) and Mitchell Johnson (10).
But KKR can find some inspiration from the fact that after four defeats in a row, they have returned to winning ways, trouncing Delhi by eight wickets three days ago. Captain Gautam Gambhir’s return to form has been an encouraging development for the 2012 champions, who have six points from eight games.
After making just one run in the first four innings, Gambhir has struck back-to-back fifties. Robin Uthappa, the other opener, has been consistent with 256 runs. But the form of Jacques Kallis is a worry. Come Sunday, Kolkata will hope he fires.