Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals face-off in a virtual knockout

Well, every time we feel the result of the next game will give us more clarity over the final four who will compete for the Dream11IPL title, the view just keeps getting more and more blurred. Such is the beauty of the league that every team is about to play their final league game, and only two teams know for certain their fates. That two will is certain to become three tonight when the Kolkata Knight Riders take on the Rajasthan Royals - the losing team certainly out of contention, but the winner not guaranteed a place in the top four just yet. It just keeps getting murkier indeed.

It is the uncertainty that keeps pulling us back into watching this glorious game, and if there was a team that has been the epitome of being consistently inconsistent, it is the Kolkata Knight Riders. On one day, they can beat the in-form team at the time in Delhi Capitals, and go on to lose the next two games. The results have been symptomatic of a much bigger problem for KKR - their inability to stick to specialized roles for players. Constant shuffling of the batting order has done no favors to their batsmen, while their overseas contingent is yet to have the desired impact expected out of the likes of Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, and Sunil Narine.

It may be a case of too-little-too-late for the Rajasthan Royals. Or maybe not. The Royals have hit form in their past two games, their top three firing in Abu Dhabi. Ben Stokes has finally arrived and has cracked two impact innings that we have become accustomed to from him. Sanju Samson has finally managed to jump off the trampoline and is now batting not to try and hit every ball out of the park. While Karthik Tyagi has been impressive, Jofra Archer has led the attack well. However, the search for the third seam bowler remains elusive for RR - none of Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat, or Ankit Rajpoot impressing enough to nail down a place.

The Knight Riders may have comfortably won the first bout between the two teams, but they will be smart enough to not discount an in-form Royals. Having two of the worse net run rates among the competitors for the top four leaves both these teams in a precarious position. A win is absolutely necessary, but they will have to wait it out for other results to go their way to clinch a playoff spot.