KKR take on the Super Kings in the opening match of the Champions League T20…
Where: Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
When: 15.30 BST
Watch live: Eurosport
Two giants of the Indian Premier League – the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Chennai Super Kings – go head to head in the opening match of the Champions League T20 later today.
The Knight Riders sealed a place in this year’s Champions League T20 after winning the IPL earlier this year. They defeated Kings XI Punjab in the finals to clinch the title for the second time in June.
Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir were the pillars on which KKR built their journey to the IPL 2014 title. The former in particular was an embodiment of consistency and impressed with the manner in which he accumulated the runs.
On the bowling front, the four overs of Sunil Narine will be crucial as always. The mystery spinner from Trinidad has established a reputation such that teams these days tend to come into the match with a defensive mindset and focus on not giving him any wickets.
The one consistent character in Chennai Super Kings’ successful run over the years has been Suresh Raina. MS Dhoni is an important cog in the CSK scheme of things, not only because he is a very destructive batsman, but because as captain he invariably tends to be a couple of steps ahead of the game.
The return of Dwayne Bravo, who missed almost the entire IPL season because of a shoulder injury he sustained in the team’s opening match, is certain to lend balance to CSK’s line-up.
It’s worth remembering that the Chennai Super Kings have won more T20 matches than any other team around the world. The men in the yellow jersey have won 80 of their 134 matches.
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