ABOUT THE MATCH:
In the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League ( IPL), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have had fairly close outings so far. Out of six matches, both teams have four wins and are in the centre of the points table.
However, with a higher net run rate of +0.017 compared to Virat Kohli and Co, KKR is seventh, with a net run rate of -0.820. But after their resounding victory over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday, RCB would have been high on confidence.
The Challengers will also play their first game against the Knights on Monday, October 12, in Sharjah. KKR, on the other hand, got somewhat out of prison against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). In order to gain their place in the following round, they would need to be more clinical.
MATCH PREVIEW:
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE:
1. So far, Virat Kohli played at the start of the tournament on a sluggish and hard to bat pitch. He made 90 not out and was solely responsible for winning the match against CSK against RCB. In fact, RCB scored 74 in its last five overs without losing a wicket, the bulk of those runs being scored by Virat Kohli.
2. On the small field of Sharjah, Aaron Finch and AB de Villiers could be very dangerous even though the pitch was a little on the slower side.
3. It really seems like RCB has found a solution to its bowling woes with Chris Morris, Isuru Udana, and Yuzvendra Chahal in the lineup.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI:
Rahul Tripathi, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik (C & WK), Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS:
1. In the previous game, Dinesh Karthik played a spectacular inning to lead his side to a competitive total against KXIP. KKR would not have come close to winning the match if it were not for his blast at the end.
2. In IPL 2020, the likes of Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, and Dinesh Karthik all have one inning of note now, but nothing else to show. Only adding to the burden on everyone else around him is the fact that Andre Russell has not been getting the runs so far.
3. The KKR batting is a little frail and we can see it coming under pressure from the RCB bowlers.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI:
Rahul Tripathi, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik (C & WK), Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy.
PITCH REPORT:
Up to now, the pitch in Sharjah has been a batsman ‘s paradise and bowlers have not had anything to do in the tournament. The short boundaries would not by any way make it simpler for the pacers and spinners.
Out of the five games, four were lost by the chasing team. Batting first, therefore, should be the teams’ way forward. The temperature would be approximately 33 degrees Celsius.
WEATHER REPORT:
Brace for a hot Monday, but for a relatively cooler Sharjah night. It’s going to be hot too. The temperature will reach 37 degrees Celsius and the temperature will fall to 28 degrees Celsius.
PROBABLE TOP PERFORMERS:
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE:
1. Virat Kohli:
In the ongoing tournament, Virat Kohli has scored a few fifties and has found his groove after a few low scores. The RCB captain has good numbers against KKR as well.
At an average and strike rate of 37.44 and 131.64 respectively, the 31-year-old had 674 runs in 21 innings. Last year, at the iconic Eden Hardens in Kolkata, the Delhi-born also notched his fifth IPL century against the Knights.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS:
1. Andre Russell
Andre Russell might be playing at an average of 11 in this IPL, but his numbers against RCB look scary, to say the least. In nine matches, the Jamaican has 323 runs at an average and strike-rate of 53.83 and 227.46 respectively.
Last year, he thumped the Challengers, though one of his knocks in Kolkata went in vain. Russell may not bowl though after he sustained a leg injury last time around.
HEAD TO HEAD:
1. Total Played– 25.
2. KKR Won– 15.
3. RCB Won– 10.
4. Tie– 0.
5. No Result– 0.
BROADCAST DETAILS:
1. Tv – Star Sports Network.
2. Live Streaming – Disney+ Hotstar.
3. Match Timings –12th October 2020 at 07:30 PM IST (06:00 PM local time) (02:00 PM UTC).
PROBABLE WINNING TEAM:
Two teams who have won their previous matches and currently have the same number of points will take on each other. There are four wins from six matches for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Kolkata Knight Riders and another victory here will help solidify their top-4 spot.
Interestingly enough, during their previous match, both teams were forced into a corner until they managed to rebound and ultimately win. In that match, both the captains also hit form. Now, keeping the winning momentum going is going to be critical.
On the 12th of October 2020, RCB vs KKR IPL 2020 will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
Recent Comments