The Sunrisers Hyderabad will be hoping that a match against the team that is rock bottom of the 2015 Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL), the Kings XI Punjab at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad on Monday, will provide them with the perfect opportunity of securing two more points in the scramble for a top four finish at the end of the regular season.
The Kings XI who have potentially one of the most destructive batting line ups of any of the eight sides contesting the 2015 IPL, have had a disastrous season, winning just two of their 11 matches. Despite the presence of local stars such as Vijay and Saha, and overseas talents like David Miller, Glenn Maxwell and George Bailey, the Kings XI have found themselves unable to make sufficient runs to paper over the weaknesses in their bowling attack.
They did come close to causing an upset on Saturday when they played the defending Champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders, at Eden Gardens.
Each of the top five in the order had a strike rate of over 100, although no one made more than Glenn Maxwell’s 43, which came off of just 22 balls. However, 183-9 was not to be enough, as the home side scrambled home by 1-wicket with one ball remaining.
Sunrisers meanwhile, were lifting themselves to fourth in the table, with a six run victory over the Delhi Daredevils. A result that not only boosted the Sunrisers chances of making the play-offs, but which also eliminated the Daredevils from the tournament, with still two of their qualifying fixtures to play.
When the teams met in Mohali earlier in the season, the Sunrisers were victorious by 20 runs. Despite only chasing 150, the Kings XI were never in the hunt, and only a fighting 42 off 33 balls by Saha, kept the margin as close as it was.