Two wins out of two, but if skipper George Bailey is to be believed, Kings XI Punjab is yet to peak. Not great news for Northern Knights, which can ill-afford another defeat after being thrashed by Hobart Hurricanes.
The Kiwi side takes on KXIP in the Oppo Champions League T20 at the PCA Stadium here on Friday. A win will seal a semifinal spot for the host.
While acknowledging the impressive bowling options at Knights’ disposal, Bailey was confident enough to claim that his batsmen could unleash further misery. It’s noteworthy that KXIP chased down 175 against Barbados Tridents in its previous Group B match.
“I don’t think we have played a great game yet, particularly with the bat. We have bowled quite nicely in a couple of games, but I think our batting still hasn’t clicked. There is a lot to improve,” Bailey said.
Twin threat
The twin bowling threat of Tim Southee and Trent Boult could, however, pose a severe test. The Kiwi duo has picked up a combined 14 wickets in five matches.
Knights’ batting, however, is yet to convince many. The line-up appeared top-heavy and Hurricanes provided proof of that. Once the openers failed, with the exception of Scott Styris, nobody could resist the opposition’s charge. Fortunately for Knights, Daniel Harris is back in contention after recovering from injury.
The loss, though, should only benefit the side, felt Styris. “We’ll be better for it. The fact that we’re under pressure is good. Kings XI is a good side, but we have learnt from our last game. So, you can expect a better performance from us.”
