The stage is all set for the tenth edition of the glorious Indian Premier League (IPL) to kick off in some style at the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. What better way to flag off the tournament, than by having the finalists of the previous edition battling it out.
For the Royal Challengers Bangalore, a matter of redemption awaits as the loss to Hyderabad in the final last year was a bitter pill to swallow.
Having said that, both these teams have altered their sides in the recent player auctions and added considerable muscle into their scheme of things. David Warner-led Sunrisers side has further strengthened its bowling lineup in case their first choice players don’t make it due to injuries.
Royal Challengers too have made a similar inclusion, in the form of England’s latest pace sensation Tymal Mills. Mills is being perceived to be an ideal replacement for Mitchell Starc, the latter opting to rest and preserve his best for national duties.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER:
The last time these teams met, was in the season finale of 2016 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore which witnessed an absolute run fest. Thanks to a solid batting performance, the Sunrisers amassed the highest ever total in an IPL final as Ben Cutting’s lusty blows lower down the order got them well beyond the 200 run barrier.
Royal Challengers were up and running right away with openers Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli racing off to half centuries. Once Kohli was bowled by Barinder Sran, a complete chaos followed as the Royal Challengers batsmen messed up the chase, handing Sunrisers a tournament victory.
Recent form this season:
RCB, SRH: Season opener
Talking Points:
Going into the game, Sunrisers are already being termed as the favourites thanks to an injury-depleted Royal Challengers lineup. With as many as four key individuals expected to miss the first game, including those of pillars Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, it will be a cumbersome task for the visitors to get past the men from Hyderabad.
The most exciting aspect for Sunrisers lies in form of 18-year-old Afghan kid and leg spin sensation Rashid Khan who is expected to make his IPL debut. Khan has been in the spotlight for quite a while, and a good performance from him would be a welcome news for the entire cricketing fraternity from a global standpoint.
Predicted XI’s of both Teams:
Sunrisers Hyderabad:
- D. Warner ( c ) 2. S. Dhawan 3. K. Williamson 4. Y. Singh 5. D. Hooda 6. N. Ojha (wk) 7. B. Cutting 8. B. Kumar 9. B. Sharma 10. A. Nehra 11. R. Khan
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
- C. Gayle 2. S. Watson ( c ), 3. M. Singh 4. K. Jadhav (wk) 5. T. Head 6. S. Baby 7. S. Binny 8. P. Negi 9. A. Choudhary 10. Y. Chahal 11. T. Mills