By BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, (UNI) The stage is set for an electrifying showdown as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) gear up to take on arch-rival Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in what promises to be another thrilling encounter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.
Both teams are riding high on confidence following their recent victories and will be eager to maintain their winning momentum.
With KKR holding a slight edge in head-to-head encounters, having won 18 out of the 32 games against RCB, this fixture has always been a spectacle in the IPL. Memorable moments like RCB’s historic 49 all-out and record-breaking powerplay scores have added to the allure of this rivalry.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium, known for its batting-friendly conditions, is expected to witness another run-fest, although recent years have seen some assistance for fast bowlers with grass on the pitch and extra bounce.
However, the presence of power hitters like Andre Russell and Glenn Maxwell ensures that fans can anticipate a barrage of sixes.
Andre Russell, in particular, has a penchant for delivering match-winning performances in Bengaluru, as evidenced by his incredible knock of 48 off 12 balls in 2019. His recent exploits have only heightened the anticipation surrounding his performance in this clash.
Meanwhile, the emergence of young talents like Ramandeep Singh and Harshit has added depth to the KKR squad. Ramandeep’s impressive debut innings of 35 and Harshit’s nerve-wracking performance in the last game have raised expectations among fans.
The individual battles within the match also add spice to the contest, such as Sunil Narine’s dominance over Virat Kohli.
The Mamba King has dismissed Kohli four times while conceding just 106 runs. However, Kohli’s proficiency in accumulating runs and anchoring the innings makes him a formidable opponent for any bowler.
Also, the anticipated showdown between Rinku Singh and Yash Dayal, promises to be a thrilling contest, fueled by thrilling history and the evolution of both players since their last meeting.
Rinku had unleashed a stunning assault, smashing Yash for five sixes in a single over. This onslaught not only etched Rinku’s name in the annals of cricketing history but also propelled him to greater heights in his career.
As the cricketing world braces itself for this high-stakes encounter, all eyes will be on the clash of these titans at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. With KKR’s fiery unit pitted against RCB’s powerhouse squad, fans can expect nothing short of a spectacle in this much-awaited showdown.
Squads
RCB
Faf du Plessis (C), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan
KKR
Shreyas Iyer (C), Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Phil Salt, Sunil Narine, Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, KS Bharat, Chetan Sakariya, Mitchell Starc, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Dushmantha Chameera, Sakib Hussain
