Lucknow: Already through to the playoffs, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to secure a top-two league stage finish for the first time in nine years when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League clash here on Friday.
RCB haven’t finished inside the top two since the 2016 season when they signed off as runners-up eventually.
However, currently second on the table with 17 points from 12 games, victories in their remaining two matches could potentially lock a top-two spot.
Friday’s fixture, originally a home game for the Bengaluru outfit, was shifted due to the onset of monsoon.
RCB was in red-hot form prior to the league’s disruption due to the India-Pakistan military conflict and the side had strung together four consecutive wins.
But the momentum was halted by a washout in their first game after resumption. Following a 20-day break, it will be interesting to see whether they retain their rhythm and competitive edge.
Chasing an elusive IPL crown, RCB have managed one of their most consistent campaigns in recent memory.
The ever-reliable Virat Kohli has been in imperious form, scoring seven fifties in 11 innings and anchoring the top order with characteristic elegance.
Skipper Rajat Patidar, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd have complemented him well with timely bursts of power hitting.
That said, Patidar’s form took a dip just before the break. After averaging 37.2 in his first five games, he managed only 53 runs in the next five at an average of 10.6.
A finger injury, sustained during the home clash against Chennai Super Kings, forced him into a splint. However, he has been batting freely in the nets once again in a promising sign for RCB heading into the business end.
The spin duo of Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma has been very effective while Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal have bowled the difficult overs with ease in the pace department.
However, Hazlewood will not be available for the game as he recovers from his shoulder injury.
In an added boost, most of RCB’s foreign recruits are available for this match and beyond.
Last year’s finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad, are coming off a convincing six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants and will be eager to carry that momentum and finish this forgettable season on a high.
While SRH’s campaign has had flashes of brilliance, particularly from explosive openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, consistency has remained elusive, leading to their eighth position on the table.
Their bowling unit, despite featuring marquee names like skipper Pat Cummins and India pacer Mohammad Shami, has struggled to deliver collectively and assert control in key moments.
Teams (from):
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma, Sachin Baby, Smaran Ravichandran, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Travis Head, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Wiaan Mulder, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Simarjeet Singh, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga.
Match starts 7:30pm IST.
