However, on Tuesday, they will get the opportunity to climb further up the table when they face the side in second position at the conclusion of the weekend’s fixtures, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The game being on home soil for the Kings XI, at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali.
After opening their 2016 campaign with defeats against the Gujarat Lions and the Delhi Daredevils, the Kings XI were faced with task of taking on the powerful batting line up fielded by the Rising Pune Supergiants.
While the match was not decided by the toss, and MS Dhoni’s decision to bat, the outcome was certainly influenced by the national side’s skipper’s choice to bat first.
On what looked likely to be a strip to favour the batsmen, Dhoni was looking to protect his fielders and bowlers from the worst of the afternoon heat. However, the consequence was that his top order batsmen had to contend with the conditions instead.
While Faf du Plessis top scored with 67, he visibly wilted in the heat, as he struggled to find the boundary. Only Steve Smith with 38 off of 26 deliveries added any late momentum.
The disappointment and worry for the Kings XI, was the lack of runs once more from Shaun Marsh and David Miller, who made only 4 and 7 respectively. However, half centuries by the opening pair of Murali Vijay and Manan Vohra, ensured that the points stayed in the Punjab.
The Knight Riders have won two and lost once this season. The one reverse coming when they failed to defend 187 against Mumbai. If Sunil Narine can rediscover his best form with the ball, allied to their powerful top order batting line up, they could easily maintain their position towards the top of the table through to the end of the season.