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Preview: M4 - RCB v SRH
12 Apr, 2016
Preview: M4 - RCB v SRH
12 Apr, 2016
Preview: M4 - RCB v SRH
What
Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad will play their opening games of Vivo IPL 2016 when they come up against each other in Match 4 on Tuesday.
One of the more popular sides in the IPL, RCB have finished the league season in the top four teams in four of the eight seasons so far. They made it to the Playoffs in IPL 2015 too, before being knocked out by the Chennai Super Kings. Virat Kohli’s side will not only be keen to make the playoffs again, but will be desperate to take home some silverware at the end of the season. Going by the team’s new slogan – which is “Play Bold”, one can expect plenty of exciting cricket from the RCB lads.
Sunrisers Hyderabad were one win away from a berth in the Playoffs last season. A win in the final league match of the season would have earned them a place in the last four. But as things transpired, they lost that final league match to eventual champions Mumbai Indians and had to be content with a sixth place finish. The David Warner-led side would have learnt their lessons from last season and will want to nail down a playoff berth much earlier and not want to leave things to the last moment. SRH, who retained 13 of the players from their last season’s squad, bolstered their squad further and signed up ten more players at the cost of INR 21.75 Crore at the Vivo IPL Player Auction 2016. They will be without the services of Yuvraj Singh, but still have plenty of exciting talent in their ranks.
When
12 April 2016, 2000 Hrs IST
Where
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Weather
Temperature: Max 30°c, Min 27°c
Humidity: Max 50%
Wind: 7kmph
The Protagonists
Top run-getter, highest individual score, most centuries, most sixes hit, most Man of the Match awards, Fastest century, Fastest half-century – these are just a few of the records in the name of a certain Chris Gayle where T20 cricket is concerned. Does one need to say anything more?
The newly-acquired Shane Watson, skipper Virat Kohli – who was named Player of the Tournament and captain of the “Team of the Tournament” in the recently-concluded ICC World T20, and AB de Villiers will form the nucleus of RCB’s batting department along with the left-handed Jamaican opener.
David Warner, the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain, will look at leading by example. On the basis of recent form, one would expect SRH to give Kane Williamson more than the two matches he played last season. On the bowling front, keep an eye on two left-arm quicks – Ashish Nehra and Mustafizur Rahman.
Head to Head
The overall head to head between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad reads 3 wins apiece. In the two meetings last season, the teams shared honours, winning their respective away fixtures.
Trivia
Virat Kohli averages 72.75 in six matches against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. In T20 Internationals in the year 2016, he averages a whopping 125.00!
AB de Villiers’ strike-rate in IPL matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad is 175.49.
Shane Watson, who was signed up by RCB, was the most expensive buy at the Vivo IPL Player Auction 2016; the franchise had to pay up INR 9.5 Crore to secure the services of the Australian all-rounder.
Ashish Nehra has now picked up at least a wicket in the last 13 T20s he has played. In the 17 T20 matches he has played so far this year, he has gone wicketless on only two occasions.
What Next
Royal Challengers Bangalore stay put at home after this match and prepare to host the Delhi Daredevils on April 17. Sunrisers Hyderabad meanwhile head back home and play host to Kolkata Knight Riders on April 16.
