If the flashy opening ceremony is not considered, then this was not the kind of welcome that new Kings XI skipper Kumar Sangakkara was expecting, with Delhi Daredevils, who have been twice semi-finalists and has three key players recovering from injuries, as a formidable opponent for Match-1 for the campaign for IPL-3 that commences on Saturday.

However, Kings XI should be happy for one thing that this is the team that always brings out the best in each other. The team was successful in beating Daredevils twice in 2008, while Delhi was able to post their first win against Punjab in 2009 due to a rain-curtailed match in South Africa. However, this time, it is upon the domestic players to give momentum to the team, which include Karan Goel, Reetinder Sodhi, Bipul Sharma and Vikramjit Singh Malik.

Mahela Jayawardene, while clearing the uncertainty over team composition explained that injuries are something on which no one has any control.

He added, "It's a new challenge for us. We will have to assess Brett Lee's fitness and take the final decision accordingly, but Yuvraj and Irfan Pathan practised in the nets and they are fit to play."

The competition between the two teams is tough as if King XI will not be able to have Lee, the most expensive player in the franchise, as one of the players of the team; then even Delhi Daredevils will have to perform without the support of Ashish Nehra, AB de Villers (injury) and Wayne Parnell from its ranks.

It is tough to find any team which enjoys the firepower and balance of the Daredevils, with Virender Sehwag and skipper Gautam Gambhir leading the explosive batting order. In spite of this, Coach Eric Simmons has a lot to choose from. But the highlight is strongly on the vitality of "playing as a unit and each player performing the assigned role.''

The hosts surely will have a strong seizure of headaches, if in case Delhi is able to follow the brief and comes up with a consistent performance.