It is getting to the stage of the qualifying process in the 2015 Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL), where it seems as if every match is important to both protagonists, with regard to their chances of making it through to the post-season play-off stage of the tournament.
On Monday at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, just such a contest takes place, as the Sunrisers Hyderabad visit the reigning champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders.
After two shock results on Saturday, when the Sunrisers defeated the table topping Chennai Super Kings by 22 runs, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore overcame the Knight Riders in a rain reduced match, the game at Eden Gardens sees fifth place take on fourth. With Kolkata having just a one point advantage over their visitors, but having played a game more. Delhi Daredevils are also just a point behind the Champions with a game in hand.
Kolkata’s position is certainly a precarious one at this stage, and they need to pick up their form again, having now lost two of their last three games, if they want to put themselves in a position where they can defend their title in the post-season phase of the tournament.
The Sunrisers who are in just their third season of IPL competition, will be delighted to be challenging for a top four place, and will take great heart and confidence from their performance against Chennai on Saturday.
Rapid contributions from each of their top five batsmen, in which the skipper David Warner was outstanding, with 61 from a mere 28 balls, enabled the Sunrisers to post 192 for 7.
If they can get their batsmen working in tandem again on Monday, they may well find themselves completing a season’s double over the Knight Riders, having already beaten them by 17 runs on the D/L method, and replacing Kolkata in the top four.