Kings XI run into a RCB squad which has grown in confidence by leaps and bounds since their last meeting.
Heaving a sigh of relief after his team tasted their first victory in the second Indian Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Brendon McCullum on Tuesday said no ground is big enough for Chris Gayle when he gets going. After the defeat against the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers in their tournament opener, the Knight Riders took their match against Kings XI Punjab as an opportunity to shrug off the setback and bounce back.
'Every day is a new day. Every match is new. Someday, you get a good start, someday, opposition bowlers come prepared and they bowl the balls at good areas.'
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a master of out of the box strategies, flung the new ball to R Ashwin in the IPL 2011 final against Royal Challengers Bangalore and the then rookie off-spinner made an impact in the fourth ball itself, dismissing an in-form Chris Gayle.
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has said that Royal Challengers Bangalore was lucky to get Chris Gayle in its side and any team that would be playing against RCB should ensure that the West Indies opener gets out cheaply.
RCB have been inconsistent in their first six games in IPL-12, with both their bowling and batting faltering on many occasions.
The dangerous Chris Gayle, with his power-hitting, was the most dominating batsmen, while South African pacer Morne Morkel finished as the tournament's top wicket-taker.
Arguably the most dangerous opening batsman ever to play for India, Virender Sehwag has no qualms in stating that his Kings XI Punjab teammate Glenn Maxwell, who has been tormenting bowlers in the ongoing IPL-7, is more destructive than him and even Chris Gayle.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab, in Dubai.
Images from Monday's IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab, in Hyderabad.
Sunrsiers' middle-order has hardly been tested and when the opportunity came against Mumbai Indians, the likes of Vijay Shankar, Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda and Yusuf Pathan fell flat.
Kings XI Punjab are likely to continue with the captain and coach combine of K L Rahul and Anil Kumble for next year despite finishing sixth in the 2020 Indian Premier League.
Almost out of reckoning for a place in the play-offs, bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to play party-poopers when they take on an equally struggling Punjab Kings in the battle of laggards in the IPL in Sharjah on Saturday.
Images from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Ahmedabad, on Monday.
This season Punjab have certainly delighted.
If Kohli scores six runs, he will become the first Indian in history to score 12,000 runs in T20s.
Players have been embroiled in contractual disputes with Cricket West Indies (CWI) for several years, with the team even abandoning a tour of India midway through their 2014 series over a payment structure row.
Their bowling attacks struggling to find form, Kings XI Punjab and SunRisers Hyderabad will look towards their power-hitters to do the job when the two erratic teams go head to head in an IPL match, in Dubai, on Thursday.
Images from Sunday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, in Dubai.
Royal Challengers Bangalore head coach Daniel Vettori claimed his team is pretty well equipped to handle Kings XI Punjab batsman Chris Gayle's explosive batting because they are aware of his strengths.
From hitting massive sixes, to scoring tons of runs, to producing breakthroughs, charismatic all-rounder Sunil Narine has been KKRs' go-to man for more than a decade in the IPL, and co-owner Shah Rukh Khan was effusive in his praise for the all-rounder, calling him the "Superman" and the real energy behind the team's success.
Faf du Plessis's half-century and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's late assault helped Chennai Super Kings register a comfortable 22-run victory against Kings XI Punjab in the IPL match, in Chennai, on Saturday.
Images from Wednesday's IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab, in Bengaluru.
RR will have to get their combination right as only four foreigners can make the playing XI.
KL Rahul smashed a brilliant 79 from just 56 balls, but lacked support from the other end as Kings XI finished on a disappointing 167 for eight.
Rajneesh Gupta presents statistical summary of Royal Challengers Bangalore and much more.
West Indian swashbuckler Chris Gayle's devastating form will be a cause of immense worry for the inconsistent Kings XI Punjab when they clash with Royal Challengers Bangalore in an IPL match in Mohali on Friday.
Simply blown away by their pyrotechnics, West Indies left-hander Chris Gayle compared Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers to Marvel comics' superheroes 'Batman' and 'Superman', as the duo lit up the Indian Premier League with some dazzling display of top quality batsmanship.
Delhi Capitals hardly broke a sweat in the run chase, cantering to victory in 17.4 overs, their sixth win in eight matches.
Former Australian spin wizard Brad Hogg has picked Suresh Raina as one of the best powerplay players in the Indian Premier League as he feels that the left-handed batsman has revived Chennai Super Kings' innings on numerous occasions.
Rajneesh Gupta previews Game 9 in IPL 12: Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians.
Cricket fans are questioning whether a Gayle will strike Wellington Regional Stadium on Saturday.
Coming off heartbreaking losses, the Indian Premier League game between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab will be a test of character for both sides as they look to get back to winning ways, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.
Kings XI Punjab registered a comfortable six wicket win over laggards Rajasthan Royals
Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin insists that he is not losing sleep over making a limited-overs comeback for India and his immediate focus is on the 'big responsibility' of captaining Kings XI Punjab in the upcoming 11th season of the Indian Premier League.
Images from Friday's IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Mohali.
Ravichandran Ashwin was named captain of the IPL side Kings XI Punjab
They are the team's leading performers, but Lokesh Rahul and Chris Gayle's batting in the Powerplay overs was one of the "massive problems", opined Kings XI Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin after team failed to make it to the play-offs in Season 12 of the Indian Premier League.
An upbeat Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to carry on their winning momentum to book a berth in the play-offs when they take on an equally-keen Royal Challengers Bangalore in a crucial IPL match at Uppal, in Hyderabad, on Friday.
Shami will be given adequate rest in between matches, said Kings XI Punjab coach Mike Hesson
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