While there is a distinctive group of five teams that have opened up a four point gap between themselves and the other competing sides in the 2016 IPL, and who look set to fight it out for the four qualifying places available in the knockout phase of the competition, KKR find themselves clinging onto the fourth and final qualifying position on overall run rate only, from the reigning Champions, the Mumbai Indians.
With their visitors on Saturday, Pune, already out of contention for the post-season play-offs, KKR will hope and expect to pick up a vital victory at the weekend, which will keep up the pressure on their rivals, as the tournament enters the last week and a half of qualification.
With the possibility that overall run rate may decide some of the finishing positions at the end of the regular season, KKR will be anxious that not only do they beat Pune, but that they do so by an appreciably large margin.
When the teams met each other on the 24th April in Pune, the visitors claimed a narrow 2-wicket victory. The hosts having scored 160-5 after being put into bat, with Ajinkya Rahane top scoring with 67 off of 52 deliveries, before KKR chased down their target with just two wickets and three balls remaining. Suryakumar Yadav leading the visitors with 60 from 49 deliveries.
That defeat was one of eight that Pune have suffered in their debut IPL season, while they have managed to record just three wins. A record that leaves them in seventh position in the table, with only the Kings XI Punjab below them, on overall run rate.