The Kolkata Knight Riders face a strange situation ahead of their last league game of the season, against the Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens.

It’s supposed to be their most important game of the campaign so far, but its status can also change, and it might become a dead rubber.

By the time the captains of the two teams go out for the toss, they will know whether their clash will be of any consequence, based on the result of Sunday’s first game between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

If the Royals, currently on 14 points, prevail over Mumbai at the Wankhede, they will bag the last available playoffs spot and the Eden game will be rendered inconsequential. If the Royals lose, the Knights will still be in contention.

Such is the dilemma that it may affect the team’s preparations, but the Knights stay guarded. What transpires in the other game on Sunday is beyond KKR’s control and they practised full tilt at the Eden on Saturday, focusing on “playing the best cricket.”

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s (clash versus Capitals) a dead rubber or not, the mindset will be to play the best cricket that we can.
While every individual in the team represents this franchise, they also represent themselves. They want to leave an impression.

“So, the cricket will stay the same and so will the attitude,” KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar said on the eve of the game.

For the Knights, their batting group will have to do without the injured Angkrish Raghuvanshi and also deal with Mitchell Starc, a former Knight who knows more than a thing or two about quite a few cricketers in the current KKR squad. Also, the Capitals’ Bengal player Abishek Porel has a fair knowledge of the Eden conditions.

However, if Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, who did a fair bit of bowling at nets on Saturday, get their lengths right, the shaky batting group of the Capitals will find
the going tough.