Ricky Ponting discusses a point with Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain Sourav Ganguly at the Eden on Tuesday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta: Salman Butt and Umar Gul are unlikely to be available for Kolkata Knight Riders’s first two matches in the Indian Premier League. The opener versus Bangalore Royal Challengers is on Friday followed by the match against Deccan Chargers (Hyderabad) two days later. Pakistan are playing Bangladesh at home and it is unlikely that the two will be released by their board as a special case.

West Indies’ Chris Gayle is also unlikely for the first match on Friday. He is expected to reach Bangalore late on Thursday or early on Friday. The jet lag involved with the travelling makes him uncertain.

The hype surrounding the tournament has been increasing by the day and is reflected in the ticket sales.

Brisk business was reported for the second day running after daily tickets went up for sale for Kolkata Knight Riders’s matches at the Eden.

A total of Rs 13 lakh worth of tickets were sold and the full quota for the day was exhausted within hours of the counters opening on Tuesday.

There were protests from disappointed fans around the Eden and timely intervention by the police prevented any trouble. From Wednesday, tickets will also be available in Reliance outlets apart from 18 other counters across the city.

The organisers are hoping sales will get a further boost once the tournament begins and Sourav Ganguly and the other stars practice ahead of Sunday’s game. Ishant Sharma also joined the squad before the team’s departure for Bangalore. The pacer arrived in the city late on Tuesday night.

Ricky Ponting’s side lost to Brendon McCullum’s team during a practice match on Tuesday. Both teams batted for 20 overs each. Batting first, Ponting’s side made 140 for two, with the captain retiring after a run-a-ball 40 that included three fours and a six. Mohammed Hafeez also retired after making 46.

In reply, McCullum’s side made 154 for three with locals Rohan Banerjee (41 retired off 36 balls, 5x4) and Laxmi Ratan Shukla (36 retired off 17 balls, 3x4, 3x6) hogging the limelight.

The teams also played two other matches of 10 overs each. The stress was on to see how the players reacted to different situations. Even the evening drizzle could not stop the enthusiasm of the players.

As the players battled it out, coach John Buchanan made a note of the proceedings — keeping a count of the fours and sixes and number of balls taken — sitting besides the sight screen.

SUMMARISED SCORES

Ponting’s XI 140/2 in 20 (Md Hafeez 46 retd, Ricky Ponting 40 retd, Tatenda Taibu 19). McCullum’s XI 154/3 in 20 (Rohan Banerjee 41 retd, Laxmi Ratan Shukla 36 retd, Wriddhiman Saha 22 ..).

McCullum’s XI 96/2 in 10 (Brendon McCullum 40, Mike Hussey 34 ..). Ponting’s XI 74/3 in 10 (Tatenda Taibu 38 ..).

McCullum’s XI 36/6 in 10. Ponting’s XI 74 in 10.