Royal Challengers Bangalore might be oozing with confidence after thrashing Gujarat Lions by a whopping 144 runs in their last match but Kolkata Knight Riders’ batsman Yusuf Pathan has his side would start as favourites when the two sides clash at Eden Gardens on Monday.
“It will be a different wicket, different conditions and an away match (for RCB). They have to settle down here. We have the home advantage as we know the conditions well here,” Yusuf said at a promotional event in Kolkata.
RCB registered a huge win against Gujarat Lions in their last match riding on Virat Kohli and Ab de Villiers’ superb centuries.The duo shared a record partnership of 229 runs which helped RCB to post a mammoth total of 248.
Heaping praise on the duo, Pathan said,“They played really well. It’s really commendable. Congratulations to them.”
While RCB have to win this match at any cost to keep their playoff hopes alive, Kolkata Knight Riders would also try their best to win this match to qualify for the playoffs and consolidate their position in the league table.
Pathan has been performing brilliantly with the bat in last few matches and the right-hander credited his support staff for his success.
“I always have faith in my abilities. Many things contribute to your success, like the support you get from your coaching staff and teammates.
“I feel very comfortable. I’ve been getting all the help that’s needed. Support staff plays a major role in this. It’s not just my success but the credit goes to people who have worked with me in the last six years,” a modest Yusuf said.
“I’ve been batting well this season, feeling a lot more confident. I was just focusing on my game after two wickets were down (in three balls against Pune).
When asked about comparing his performance in different IPL seasons,Yusuf refused to compare.
“It’s not fair to compare any season. Every match, every innings is different. You keep on improving. I try to improve every match,” he said.
Asked about their gameplan against RCB on Monday, he said, “We are just working on our positives and it’s working well for us so far.”
Bangalore’s bowling attack may be their weak link but Yusuf said it’s not fair to underestimate anyone in this unpredictable format.
“You can’t say when what will click. they have a strong batting line-up. but bowlers can also win matches on a given day. you cannot underestimate their bowling. a team wins only if all the three departments clicks,” he said.