That's what Knight Riders' match against Mumbai Indians in East London could well be
That's what Knight Riders' match against Mumbai Indians in East London could well be
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So it's back to playing the Mumbai Indians again. It's also time to make amends for our last defeat to them on Monday at Port Elizabeth. We will go into this game in a better frame of mind after having stretched Bangalore Royal Challengers.
Support needed
The only reason we offered some kind of threat to Kevin Pietersen's men is because of our bowlers. Ishant Sharma and Murali Karthik were terrific, but they need some support and that very much includes the batters.
We have the ammunition to fire but keep getting out at crucial junctures which can happen in the T20 format of the game, but when it happens as often as it has happened to us, it dents the win column on the points table. The one win looks very lonely in that table and it is high time we swell that figure.u00a0
On paper, we have a decent side but as all of us know, none of these factors count for much once you cross those boundary ropes going into battle.
Our full support is with Brendon McCullum, who is going through a rough patch with the bat and I am sure a player of his ability will get through it as quickly as possible. It has happened to many a player and captain in the past and Brendon will not be the last.u00a0 Hopefully, he stays positive and thinks about his good knocks in the past. This, I am sure will get him out of trouble. It is not the game that changes overnight, it is just your thought process. The T20 form of the game can be cruel if you miss a trick. Hence, we have to be very smart in our approach. We have plenty of fans here and in India and we are aware of our responsibilities.
u00a0It was good to see Morne van Wyk get some runs under the belt. He showed that the local guys get more used to the conditions than the others.u00a0 He has been a successful T20 player for South Africa for the last three years.
He is not a massive hitter of the ball but has a few other qualities which are helpful in T20 cricket. He is a great guy in the dressing room a lovely human being. Hopefully, he will score a lot more in the following games to be a huge asset.
Doubtless, Mumbai will be no easy meat en route our redemption in this tournament. They lost their last game to Kings XI but you can't talk down a team which has a lot of quality in their ranks. Obviously, Sachin and Sanath pose a huge threat with their successful opening alliance but it doesn't end there. They've got J P Duminy too and he was in the thick of things until he got out trying to clear the fence at Kingsmead, Durban.
He looked in good nick and the fact that he is a local can never be under-estimated. He is a good timer of the ball and apart from his big-hitting, can clear the field to a nicety which can put off the opposition bowlers.
Dwayne Bravo is a handy player in the mix too.u00a0
The team that copes better in this high intensity tussle will have the last laugh.u00a0
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