Match1: Delhi Daredevils v/s Kolkata Knightriders

 Squads-2013 updates

Delhi: KP injured, Ross Taylor transferred to Pune Warriors India for Ashish Nehra. Ben Rohrer an explosive batsman signed as replacement for injured Jesse Ryder(signed in the auction :) )

In form Manpreet Juneja also signed.

KKR: Sachitra Senanayake, a mystery spinner from Srilanka joins the team.

Batting:

Locals: Exciting local talents with Delhi-Chand and Juneja

Delhi: Virender Sehwag, Unmukt Chand, Manpreet Juneja, Venugopala Rao, Naman Ojha, Irfan Pathan

KKR: Gautham Gambhir, Manoj Tiwari, Yusuf Pathan, Bhatia, Shukla,Das

Foreign: Both seem to lack a little fire power

Delhi: Warner,Jayawardene,Rohrer,Botha

KKR: Kallis, McCullum,Morgan,Doeschate,Shakib

Bowling

Pace: Even contest

Delhi: Morne Morkel,Umesh Yadav,Ashish Nehra,Andre Rusell, Irfan Pathan
KKR: Brett Lee, James Pattinson, L.Balaji,Shami Ahmed,Pradeep Sangwan

Spin: KKR anyday

Delhi: Botha, Vander Merwe,Nadeem,Pawan Negi

KKR: Sachitra Senanayake,Sunil Narine,Shakib Al Hasan,Iqbal Abdulla

Delhi have made a good acquisition in the form of Botha. Sachitra Senanayake should really boost KKR's bowling attack. It suits the spinning home track.

Pitch and Conditions

Slow and turning Kotla track should suit the home team owing to an awesome spin contingent(Narine, Senanayake, Shakib, Abdulla).

Expected Squads

Delhi Daredevils
1-David Warner
2-Unmukt Chand
3-Mahela Jayawardene
4-Johan Botha
5-Naman Ojha
6-Manpreet Juneja
7-Rudolph Vander Merwe
8-Irfan Pathan
9-Shadab Nadeem
10-Umesh Yadav
11-Ashish Nehra

Kolkata Knightriders
1-Jacques Kallis
2-M.S.Bisla
3-Gautham Gambhir
4-Manoj Tiwari
5-Yusuf Pathan
6-Shakib Al Hasan
7-Sachitra Senanayake
8-Iqbal Abdulla
9-Sunil Narine
10-Laxmipathy Balaji
11-Brett Lee

Rationale

• The slow Kotla track should induce the selection of Botha, Vander Merwe, Senanayake and Nadeem

• With three seamers(Pathan,Nehra,Umesh) Delhi would prefer Demerwe over the inconsistent Russell, althought they would have loved to have Morkel playing.
• The absence of McCullum should ease the inclusion of MS Bisla, the hero of the 2012 finals.
• Absence of Sehwag should provide a good opportunity for the inform Juneja.