Group B of the 2014 Champions League T20 is in theory, still wide open. At least as far as the second qualifier to emerge from the pool is concerned.
Kings XI Punjab, with their perfect 100% winning record from the three fixtures that they have played to date, are already assured of their place in the semi-finals, but any one of the other four teams competing in the group, could theoretically join them.
However, the chase for that vital second spot will only remain open, should the Barbados Tridents pick themselves up from the disappointment of their Super Over defeat to the Cobras on Friday, and beat the Hobart Hurricanes at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh on Sunday.
Should the Hurricanes win on Sunday, with two victories already under their belt, they will be assured of a semi-final place. However, as long as they do not lose by a significant margin, they will remain the favourites to qualify, given that they have by far the best overall run rate of all the sides barring the Kings XI.
Tridents who arrived in India, knowing that they were going to be up against it, after losing key players who had opted to represent their IPL franchises, rather than their Caribbean pay masters, still had high hopes of acquitting themselves well in their first CLT20.
However, after losing their opening game against the Kings XI, they went into Friday’s game knowing that they needed to win to keep their own chances alive, and that they could eliminate the Cobras at the same time.
However, an heroic maiden T20 century by Jonathan Carter was not backed up by the rest of the team, and only some spirited bowling by Jeevan Mendis and Ravi Rampaul brought them back into the game, and set up the Super Over decider.
Although all the other sides in Group B will be rooting for them, the Tridents have no momentum going into the vital contest, whereas the Hurricanes are full of confidence having successively beaten the Cobras and the Knights.