Preview: M30 - RCB vs KKR

01 May, 2016

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Preview: M30 - RCB vs KKR

What

Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders will come up against each other for the first time in VIVO IPL 2016 when they clash in Match 30.

Numbers illustrate RCB’s season so far. The lowest total the batsmen have posted this season is 170 – which is a challenging 8.5 runs per over. The lowest total conceded by the bowling side is 172. The team with the poorest economy rate this season is RCB, whose overall economy rate is 9.36. Virat Kohli, Daniel Vettori, Allan Donald and the rest of the team management must immediately find a bowling combination that can do the job for them. A team whose batsmen day in and day out come up with totals in excess of 170 – should not find a place in the bottom half of the table with just two wins from six matches. The team has not missed Chris Gayle just yet – with the skipper Kohli and AB de Villiers firing consistently. However, the team needs to figure out a way to bring in Chris Jordan and hope he can be the spark that sets off a transformation on the bowling front.

KKR find themselves in a situation they are not used to. For the first time this season, they have lost two matches on the trot; they lost the return fixture against Mumbai Indians and subsequently lost to the Delhi Daredevils. KKR have four wins from seven outings and are in a comfortable position compared to a few other teams – especially given three of their wins have been in away matches and they are still to play five matches at home. However, that the bowlers conceded 178 in 18 overs and 186 in their last two matches must find a place at the top of the coaches’ things to address.

When

2 May 2016, 2000 Hrs IST

Where

M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Weather

Temperature: Max 30°c, Min 26°c
Humidity: Max 53%
Wind: 7kmph

The Protagonists

The only player to score more than 1000 runs in T20s this year – Virat Kohli, will be expected to hold the RCB innings together allowing the other stroke-makers in his team to flourish at the other end. AB de Villiers has been in fine form too, with more than 300 runs to his name in six outings this season. With the batting department going great guns already, it remains to be seen if RCB tweak their line-up to include Chris Gayle.

KKR succeed when their openers get runs. On reputation, Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa might not sound as daunting as some of the other opening combs in the tournament, but are just as effective. The pair have developed a good understanding of how to build a platform and have mastered the art of scoring runs without taking too many risks.

In a match which promises to be a high-scoring contest, the focus will also be on the middle and lower-order of the two teams, and on this front, KKR possibly hold the edge with the likes of Andre Russell and Yusuf Pathan capable of striking big.

Head to Head

The head to head between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, who met in the very first match of the Indian Premier League in 2008, stands at eight wins apiece. In the two meetings last season, RCB got the better of KKR on both occasions; they chased down 177 in Kolkata to win by 3 wickets and then chased down 111 in a 10-over dash in Bengaluru.

Trivia

The average first innings total in IPL matches in Bengaluru is 174. In the two matches played at the venue this season, Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have batted first on both occasions, have posted scores of 227-4 and 191-5.

Royal Challengers Bangalore have lost the fewest wickets so far in VIVO IPL 2016 – 27.

What Next

RCB will be seen in action next on May 7 when they host the return fixture of Rising Pune Supergiants. Kolkata Knight Riders will meanwhile head back home – for the first time since April 13 – and prepare to Kings XI Punjab on May 4.