Kolkata Knight Riders face inconsistent Sunrisers Hyderabad

KOLKATA: It's got to be the most remarkable turnaround in the tournament's history.
For a team that was headed for the exit door halfway through IPL 7's league phase, after losing five of their seven matches, Kolkata Knight Riders have not only breezed into the play-off stage but are actually pushing for a top-two finish going into their final game, against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden.
Six wins on the trot is not the hottest streak in the league, but it's the timing of their all-conquering run which makes KKR's feat stand out.
A perfect seven-on-seven in the second phase, with a convincing win on Saturday night, will take their tally to 18 points and give them a shot at the second spot.
Remember, No. 1 plays No. 2 for a berth in the final in Qualifier 1 at the Eden on Tuesday, and the losers get a second chance three days later in Mumbai.
Given Sunrisers Hyderabad's erratic form, KKR will surely fancy their chances on Saturday.
Having assembled arguably the most balanced outfit at the players' auction in February, the Sunrisers (12 points from 13 matches) have grossly under performed in IPL 7.
And none embodies their problems better than Dale Steyn.
For long the world's most fearsome pacer, the South African has been an easy target in the death overs time and again.
Even as Bhuvneshwar Kumar (20 wickets, economy rate 6.53) has delivered game after game, Steyn has struggled to pick up wickets (11 in 13 matches) and keep things tight (economy rate 7.46) when it matters.
Hyderabad's batting, on the other hand, has been too David Warner-centric. By far their most prolific batsman (524 runs, 6 fifties, strike rate 140.48), the muscular southpaw was being wasted down the order at No. 4 as the team put its faith on Shikhar Dhawan (strike rate 120.83) and Aaron Finch (strike rate 117.49) as the opening pair.
It's only in the last two games that the `mistake' has been rectified, giving Warner the chance to blossom fully at the top of the order.
Team Hyderabad (read: Warner) gave MS Dhoni's Super Kings a real hiding on Thursday night to cling on to their slender play-off hopes.
But the Sunrisers' fate was never going to be in their own hands once they lost three out of four home ties in Hyderabad.
In contrast, KKR have won both their home matches and are looking good to finish the league phase strongly at Eden.
They haven't put a foot wrong since committing harakiri against Rajasthan Royals (failed to chase down 171 after being 121 without loss), as their victory margins -by 30 runs, 8 wickets, 7 wickets, 6 wickets, 9 wickets and 8 wickets -amply reflect.
The fact that KKR players held both the Orange Cap (Robin Uthappa) and Purple Cap (Sunil Narine) after Thursday's action is a clear indication that both their batting and bowling units have been functioning well.
Bowling has traditionally been the Knights' strength, more so since Narine joined their ranks three seasons back.
So it's no surprise to find the Caribbean spinner top the charts jointly with Bhuvneshwar (20 wickets each) and shoulder the KKR attack with useful support from Shakib Al Hasan (9 wickets, ER 6.31), Piyush Chawla (11 wickets) and Morne Morkel (9 wickets).
But the real game-changer has been Uthappa. His consistency (572 runs @47.66) and strike rate (137.50) have given the KKR batting a new dimension.
Jacques Kallis, the man he replaced as Gautam Gambhir's opening partner, may be just as hungry for runs but can't match the rate at which Uthappa scores.
With Gambhir finding his touch after five nightmarish games and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib showing his utility as a hard-hitting batsman, KKR's batting is looking stronger than in the past few seasons.
Not for nothing will the Knights start as clear favourites on Saturday. Unless Sunrisers are blessed with another Warner special. Or Steyn produces his best spell of the tournament.