Not too many eyes will be on the early IPL 2014 match on Sunday, considering the importance of the late game, which will decide the fourth-placed team in the playoffs.
Where to Watch Live:
Get the report HERE
The penultimate game of the regular season is set for a 4 pm IST (11.30 am BST, 6.30 am ET) start with live coverage on Sony Six, in English, and Sony Max, in Hindi, in India. The match can also be watched via live streaming online in India HERE or HERE. Watch the action in the rest of the world HERE, HERE. Viewers in the US can catch the game on Willow TV or with the live streaming option HERE, while Canada viewers can do the same HERE.
Viewers in the UK can catch the match on ITV, while Pakistan viewers can do the same on Geo Super, with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh audience able to watch the game on TV on Masaranga TV and Carlton Sports Network respectively. Audience in the Middle East can catch the action on OSN with the live streaming link available HERE, while New Zealand viewers can do the same via Sky NZ or HERE or via the above rest of the world options.
However, the Kings XI Punjab and the Delhi Daredevils will both be equally keen to end up on the winning side in Mohali, for vastly different reasons.
Kings XI will want two points on Sunday evening to keep that winning momentum going ahead of their Qualifier 1 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. KXIP have already locked in first place in the IPL 2014 table, just rewards for the best team in the tournament this season, and the Punjab franchise will want to give their home fans one final treat before heading into the playoffs.
"To win and cement our spot at the top of the table is very gratifying," Man of the Match in the victory over the Rajasthan Royals on Friday Shaun Marsh told IPL's official website.
"There's a great feeling within the group and I'm really happy for all the boys."
A revamped Kings XI side have taken IPL 2014 by storm led by that man Glenn Maxwell, who has been in brilliant form this season. However, Kings XI's success has not just been about Maxwell, with the rest of the batsmen, especially David Miller, also chipping in, while the bowlers have done their jobs pretty well.
KXIP is currently a team, which when performing at its best, is near impossible to beat, and Marsh, who has been with the Punjab side from the beginning, is clearly relishing the new-look feel.
"It's good to have fresh energy around and be surrounded by positivity," the Australian left-hander added. "It's nice to have a captain like George Bailey who is a very positive guy and is leading the team beautifully. What has clicked nicely this time is the perfect mixture of senior and younger players we have.
"We've got some exciting young Indian players who are coming through really well and performing under pressure. The senior guys are leading the way for them and supporting them in every way.
"It is also good to have a coach like Sanjay Bangar -- he has done a great job with all the players and so has Joe Dawes. The coaching staff and the players have gelled really well together."
Bangar, the only Indian head coach in the IPL, has been quietly going about his business, not taking the limelight, while working wonders with this Kings XI squad. "It is a big advantage to have an Indian coach because you can gel with him much easier and faster," KXIP medium pacer Rishi Dhawan said. "He understands the mind-set of the Indian players and talks to them accordingly -- the communication is much better."
A similar performance would have been expected from Gary Kirsten, the Delhi Daredevils coach, but the South African, with a much higher pedigree, just hasn't been able to bring together this DD side. Kevin Pietersen has also not been able to work his magic, with the Daredevils heading for a second straight bottom of the table finish, having managed just two wins all season.
A little bit of pride can be restored if they can beat the top-of-the-table team, who beat them six days ago, at their own ground, and Pietersen and co. will be hoping for exactly that.
