Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab, face off in an Indian Premier League(IPL) match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.
HYDERABAD: A high-scoring thriller is on the cards when Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab, which are packed with some of the best stroke makers in the tournament, face off in an Indian Premier League(IPL) match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Thursday.
Tipped as the favourites in the inaugural IPL, the two teams made a disappointing start, losing their initial matches despite their batsmen putting up impressive performances.
After losing the opening two matches, Kings XI Punjab registered their first win against Mumbai Indians and then trounced Delhi Daredevils.
Deccan Chargers also opened their account, beating Mumbai Indians after losing three matches on a trot. They are placed sixth in the points tally in the eight-team tournament, while Kings XI is just above them in the fifth position.
Both teams are evenly matched and have loaded their team with batsmen, which have left the bowling attack a bit vulnerable.
Chargers will miss explosive Andrew Symonds who has flown back to Australia. Symonds, the most expensive overseas player, lived up to his billing, cracking a 47-ball 100 against Royals. All the members of the Australian national squad who are represnting various IPL teams will return home to join a preparatory camp ahead of the national team's upcoming West Indies series.
Chargers, however, have a suitable replacement in another big-hitter Herschelle Gibbs and the South African would be fired up to play his first IPL match.
Kings XI Punjab batting line-up, boasting of Kumar Sangakkara, Yuvraj Singh, Mahela Jayawerdane, has put up a consistent performance in the tournament so far and will hope to carry on the form. However, Yuvraj Singh will be missing his in-form bowling spearhead Brett Lee and will have to make use of his limited resources against a formidable Chargers batting line-up.
Deccan Chargers: V.V.S. Laxman (captain), Sanjay Bangar, Halhadar Das, Herschelle Gibbs, Adam Gilchrist (wicketkeeper), Doddapaneni Kalyankrishna, Pragyan Ojha, Dwaraka Ravi Teja, Sarvesh Kumar, Shahid Afridi, Rohit Sharma, Chamara Silva, R.P. Singh, Scott Styris, Andrew Symonds, Chaminda Vaas, Venugopal Rao, Paidikalva Vijaykumar, Arjun Yadav, Nuwan Zoysa.
Kings XI Punjab: Yuvraj Singh (captain), Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar, Sreesanth, James Hopes, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (wicketkeeper), Kyle Mills, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ajitesh Argal, Piyush Chawla, Pankaj Dharmani, Rishi Dhawan, Karan Goel, Uday Kaul, Sahil Kukreja, Wilkin Mota, Nitin Saini, Vikram Singh, Sunny Sohal, Tanmay Srivastava.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}