Friday’s match at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh between Kings XI Punjab and Northern Districts is of vital importance towards the outcome of Group B in the 2014 Champions League T20.
Kings XI have a 100% record, having played and won two fixtures to date, and know that victory against the Kiwis will secure their semi-final place, should the Barbados Tridents lose to the Cape Cobras earlier in the day.
Even should the Tridents beat the Cobras, victory will still leave Kings Xi on the brink of the last four.
Northern Districts had performed so admirably in their first four fixtures in India, having won the pre-qualifying group, winning all three games, including a victory over the Mumbai Indians, that eliminated the holders from the tournament.
They then proceeded to win their first game in the main draw, against the Cape Cobras.
The Kiwis were rapidly becoming everyone’s second favourite team, and were being looked on as serious dark horses for the title. However, on Tuesday the walls came tumbling down on their epic journey, as they crashed to a humbling defeat to the Hobart Hurricanes.
However, the Knights are still in with a qualifying chance going into the Kings XI contest, but they will need to win their last two games in Group B to keep the dream alive.
Having already lost to the Kings XI, Hurricanes were faced with a must win situation when they faced the Knights, and they produced a thourghly professional performance to rout their Kiwi opponents by 86 runs in Raipur.
If Knights are to mount a serious challenge, their opening bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult are going to need to be at their best and produce the sort of form that prior to the Hurricanes game, had brought the pair 13 wickets at less than 10 runs apiece.