Kings XI Punjab is all set to get their IPL 12 campaign back on track when they meet the bottom-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 28th match of the tournament at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. Punjab suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of Mumbai Indians from a position of strength. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore need all but a miracle to harbour hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. Technically RCB can still make it to the playoffs but in hindsight, it is almost an impossible task for them after losing the first 6 matches on a trot.
Royal Challengers Bangalore are yet to win a single match
Not a single team has gone onto lose their first 6 matches which goes onto prove the current morale in the RCB outfit. Despite having two of the best batsmen of the modern generation in the form of Vira Kohli and AB de Villiers, the franchise has failed time and again and has simply forgotten how to win. They have lost from winning positions and on other occasions, they have suffered hounding in front of their opposition.
The likes of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers haven’t managed to score consistently for RCB which has also not helped the franchise. Kohli has come back to form with some substantial knocks but all his efforts have gone in vain as his bowlers haven’t supported him a single bit. The performance from the RCB bowlers has been horrendous on occasions.
They needed to defend 53 of the last 16 deliveries against Bangalore but ended up losing the match with 10 deliveries to spare. At this point in time, RCB really needs some magic to even win tomorrow’s match, let alone qualify for the playoffs. They will surely want to put up a much-improved performance. We might notice a few changes in the personnel.
Kings XI Punjab will look to get their campaign back on track
Kings XI Punjab has played some good brand of cricket in the tournament so far. They were well set for a win against Mumbai Indians before Kieron Pollard smashed them out of the match with a whirlwind knock of 83 of just 31 deliveries which were studded with 3 fours and 10 sixes. As a franchise, Punjab has gelled as a unit but needs to apply themselves a bit more.
KL Rahul scored a terrific century against Mumbai Indians which will definitely give him a lot of confidence going into the tournament. Chris Gayle on the other hand also looked in great touch and scored a 36 balls 63 which got Kings XI Punjab off to a sensational start. Their bowling department has also done a great job.
KXIP skipper Ravichandran Ashwin has led the team from the front. Not only he has been economical in the tournament but the senior Ashwin has also bagged wickets on a consistent basis. In the pace department, Mohammed Shami has been a handful for Ashwin and has given him wickets whenever he has been given the ball.
Predicted XI’s
Kings XI Punjab
Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, David Miller, Sarfaraz Khan, Sam Curran, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ankit Rajpoot, Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Parthiv Patel, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Moeen Ali, Marcus Stoinis, Akshdeep Nath, Pawan Negi, Tim Southee, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini, Kulwant Khejroliya
Head to Head:
Matches Played: 22 Kings XI Punjab- 12, Royal Challengers Bangalore- 10
Pitch Report:
PCA Stadium in Mohali is always known to be a batting paradise where big scores have been put up. However, if you bowl in the right areas, a bowler can trouble the opposition batters. The long boundaries make it an even contest for the bowlers. However, if they miss their mark, the batters can go for plenty. Hence it should be a high scoring game tomorrow. The team winning the toss in all likelihood should chase.
Weather Report:
It is expected to be a soothing night for cricket especially given the fact that the match will start from 8 pm. The temperature should remain on the higher side during the day time. However, during the time of the match, it might come down to 23 degrees. Hence it shouldn’t be a sultry day for the players. As of now, there is no prediction of rain tomorrow which ensures a full 20 overs clash.
Match Prediction
Even the law of averages has failed for Royal Challengers Bangalore this season. No team have lost their first 6 games of IPL. They are yet to win a clash in the tournament but I will back them to open their account against the Kings XI Punjab. Despite RCB’s horrendous showing in the tournament, my prediction is with Bangalore. Tomorrow might well be the day for the Virat Kohli and his men. Let’s hope for a humdinger tomorrow night.