Pressure on Kolkata against Somerset

Match facts

Kolkata Knight Riders v Somerset, September 21
Start time 20.00 (14.30 GMT)

Remember West Germany-Austria in the 1982 football World Cup? FIFA changed its rules after that match, scheduling the last round of group matches simultaneously to avoid a team having the advantage of knowing exactly what to do to at the very least to qualify. It isn't so in the Champions League Twenty20. Kolkata Knight Riders and Somerset have a clear advantage playing the final game of the qualifiers. Depending on what happens in the Leicestershire-Ruhuna match, both teams could qualify via a close contest that ensures the loser's net run-rate does not dip too low. Neither will want to risk anything of the sort, though, and knowing a victory guarantees qualification is enough incentive to ensure aggression from both sides.

For Kolkata, elimination is unthinkable. They have the tournament sponsors' logo splashed across their t-shirts and their superstar owner will arrive in Hyderabad for the match. Even without Gautam Gambhir and Eoin Morgan, they still have more players with international experience than Somerset, and will want to win in a more convincing fashion than they did in the first game. Their high-profile batsmen let them down against Auckland and Kolkata may think about rejigging the batting order.

Somerset arrived in Hyderabad only a day before their first game, but a last-ball win is just the tonic you need to shake off the jet-lag. Kolkata will be a tougher test though: Somerset's slow bowlers, who stifled Auckland, may not have as much success against Yusuf Pathan, and Steve Snell may not deal as easily with Brett Lee's yorkers as he did with Kyle Mills' length balls.

Jacques Kallis averages 34.78 in Twenty20 cricket, but scores of 33 off 35 balls are not quick enough at the top of the order. He may drop down with Manoj Tiwary moving up. Jaidev Unadkat's one over against Auckland went for 14 runs, so L Balaji may replace him.

Somerset are missing several players due to their international commitments and are struggling to put out an XI, never mind having reserves. They are likely to go in with the same side that beat Auckland.

Rajat Bhatia conceded only 14 runs off four overs in Kolkata's first match. Somerset won't have seen him before and may find his slow cutters a challenge.

Somerset's middle order got them through their first game but they will be hoping for more from the top order. Roelof van der Merwe, who has a strike-rate of 133.39 in Twenty20s, could be the key to a swift start.

Every time Murali Kartik bowls in a high-profile tournament in India, there is talk about him having a point to prove. If he can get rid of Yusuf Pathan, it will add further validity to the claim he should have played more for India.

Jacques Kallis is third on the list of players with most half-centuries in Twenty20 matches. His 21 is behind only Brad Hodge's 26 and David Hussey's 23.

"We tried too hard and got into trouble. So there were some lessons to take there."
Jacques Kallis after the narrow win against Auckland.

"Expectations were low from outside the team. However, the side themselves were always confident they could win."
Steve Snell on Somerset's under-dog tag.