IPL 2017 | KXIP vs KKR, Match Preview: Kings Eleven Punjab targets win against Kolkata Knight Riders with play-off hopes alive

Kings Eleven Punjab shall be locking horns against Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL encounter later on Tuesday evening at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali.

Kolkata Knight Riders maintain an overwhelming record against Kings Eleven winning 14 of the 20 encounters played between the side.KKR also has won the last 8 games between the two sides since 2014. When the two sides met earlier in the season, KKR chased down an imposing 171 target set by Kings Eleven courtesy Gautam Gambhir and Sunil Narine's exploits with the bat.

Kings Eleven Punjab

Kings Eleven Punjab floundered away a great chance of moving up the points table after Gujarat Lions chased down a daunting 190 target set by them. Punjab shall be dented by the loss of their inform opener Hashim Amla and power hitter David Miller who will be out on national duties for South Africa.

It would a good opportunity to bring in Kiwi speedster Matt Henry into the playing eleven and bolster their weakened pace attack which has gone for plenty. Kings will have to get their bowling into order as they have been below par apart from the brilliance of Sandeep Sharma with the new ball. There would be an added responsibility on Shaun Marsh and Glen Maxwell to provide the side stability in the absence of Hashim Amla. Kings Eleven Punjab currently placed 5th on the points table will have to win all their three matches and hope SRH loses their last encounter.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders come into the game after defeating RCB by six wickets in their last game. KKR with 16 points is second placed on the points table with a better run rate than Rising Pune Supergiants. KKR were also given a wake-up call by defending champion Sunrisers Hyderabad who defeated them convincingly at Hyderabad. KKR would be without their leading run scorer Robin Uthappa who is not fully fit to take to the field.

KKR will hope that Sunil Narine continues to fire on the top with his quick-fire cameos and Gautam Gambhir anchors the team's batting as he has done all through the tournament.KKR's bowling looks pretty well settled with an ideal mix of seamers and spinners.Young leggie Kuldeep Yadav has been very promising along with the experienced Piyush Chawla in the spin department. 

So a gripping battle is on the cards at Mohali with both sides having clear cut goals to get into the business end of the tournament.