Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders have 10 points from 10 games and they don’t afford to lose another match as it would mean that the two-time champions would have to depend on others to qualify for the play-offs. MI has won 17 of the 21 matches they have played against KKR across 11 seasons – the most wins for an IPL team against any opponent. In their home game at the Wankhede MI stretched their winning streak to seven matches, as KKR’s last win against them had come in 2015. According to KKR’s fiery opener Chris Lynn both teams tend to step up as they have built a healthy rivalry over the years.
“They got the better of us in Mumbai and we would definitely be looking to get one back. If we take our foot off the throat, we can find ourselves very quickly out of the competition. We want to make sure we are out there in the finals, making a run for the Cup,” said Lynn on the eve of the match.
In trouble with an injured shoulder, the 28-year-old was deemed unfit and was dropped for Australia’s upcoming limited-overs tours of the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.
But the Kolkata Knight Riders opener has had a successful return from injury in the Indian Premier League, scoring 277 runs at 30.77 with a strike rate of 133.81.
“I was probably a little bit nervous and apprehensive early on but of late I can bat with freedom. I’ve showed that in the last couple of innings in small glimpses.
“I am certainly not 100 per cent. For me batting is not an issue at all, that’s first and foremost priority. On the field, I am not fielding at the positions that I want to field in,” added Lynn.
On the field, Lynn has been instructed not to dive given he has injured both shoulders doing so in recent years.
“I was probably a little bit nervous and apprehensive early on,” Lynn said when asked about the adjustments he had to make post the injury.
“Of late I can bat with freedom that I want to. I’ve showed that in the last couple of innings in small glimpses. But it would be nice to face 30-40 balls. I’m hoping that the luck of the bounce goes my way this game and I can build that momentum into the important part of the tournament,” he elaborated.