MUMBAI : An engrossing and no-holds- barred battle for vital points to book semifinal spots are on cards as resurgent home team Mumbai Indians take on a revitalised Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday night.

Among many small battles that make up, overall picture would be raw pace-versus-ace encounter between Kolkatas Shoaib Akhtar- Ishant Sharma combine and Sachin Tendulkar- Sanath Jayasuriya duo of hosts.

Jayasuriyas power-packed display on Wednesday, when he carted Chennai Super Kings bowling around with gay abandon in his amazing 114 not out including 11 sixes and nine fours, would surely have increased crowds hunger to witness similar pyrotechnics with bat from home team at their home ground.

Mumbai Indians, with Tendulkar at helm since Wednesday after he missed first half of round robin campaign due to a groin injury, were in sixth spot with eight points following their fourth win on trot after a dismal beginning.

Two points ahead of home team are Knight Riders led by Sourav Ganguly and a victory for either would be a huge setback for losing outfit in their race to advance to knock-out stage of 44-day competion that ends with summit clash at D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on June 1.

The key to match, perhaps, will lie in how well double act of Jayasuriya and Tendulkar shape up against temperamental Akhtar, who demolished Delhi Daredevils top-order in his devastating opening spell on Tuesday night.

Mumbai Indians opening duo, two cricketers who have played maximum number of One-day internationals in their career, will have to be at their best to keep out menacing Akhtar and Sharma for home team to either post a challenging total or chase successfully.

Ajit Agarkar, Umar Gul of Pakistan and Ashok Dinda, can provide adequate support to pace spearheads of Knight Riders, owned by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan.

Both teams go into high-profile clash with lot of momentum, with Knight Riders winning their last three ties and hosts won their last

four matches. PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2008

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