The 36th match of the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League will see a clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the second time this season. The two teams will be playing against each other on Sunday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from 3:30 pm onwards.
It would be the perfect opportunity for the Faf du Plessis side to avenge the seven-wicket loss they encountered against the Knight Riders earlier this season while playing at their home ground at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium. It would be one of the biggest battles as RCB and KKR are known for being arch-rivals since the beginning of the cash-rich league in 2008.
What has happened so far?
RCB is in desperate need of a victory in the IPL 2024 as they have lost as many as six league matches while winning only one game so far. With only two points to its name, the team is languishing at the bottom of the points table. RCB’s only win in the tournament came against Punjab Kings as they won by four wickets.
Meanwhile, the team is currently on a five-match losing streak with its most recent defeat coming against Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was a heartbreaking loss for the franchise as they lost by only 25 runs while chasing a mammoth score of 287 runs in the allotted 20 overs.
As far as Kolkata Knight Riders are concerned, they are occupying second place in the league standings with eight points from four wins and two losses.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side would be hoping to return to winning ways after their most recent encounter saw them lose to Rajasthan Royals by two wickets as. KKR was let down by their bowlers as they failed to defend a good score of 223 runs in the 20 overs.
Head to Head Record
The rivals Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru share an interesting history in the Indian Premier League. The two teams have played a total of 33 games against each other and KKR is leading the head-to-head record with 19 wins. The remaining 14 matches saw the Bengaluru-based outfit scoring a win.
Key Players
Faf du Plessis needs to step up for RCB in IPL 2024
Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bengaluru): Royal Challengers Bengaluru have dished out one of the most disappointing performances in the history of the T20 league in IPL 2024 so far.
While the bowlers have been at the major fault as they have failed to show any consistency, the skipper Faf du Plessis also takes the blame. The opening batter has not been at his best in the tournament so far and thus RCB has been spotted struggling with runs in many games.
After a series of poor scores, the South African star finally showcased some form against SRH as he played a dominating knock of 62 runs off 28 balls. He is now expected to continue the good performance as RCB is in a tight spot in the tournament and another loss can push them out of the playoff race.
Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders): Sunil Narine has been the player to watch out for in the Kolkata Knight Riders came in the IPL 2024. The West Indies stalwart has dished out a dominating performance both with the bat and ball to ensure his team’s domination in the league.
Narine is currently the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament with 276 runs to his name in just six matches at an average of 46 and a strike rate of over 187. He also has picked seven wickets at an average of under 24. Therefore, it is no surprise that Sunil Narine would walk into the Sunday game as the most important player for KKR.
Team News from Both Camps
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be missing the services of their spin all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in the Sunday game. The Australian star failed to make any contributions to the team in the games so far and has thus demanded a mental break from the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Knight Riders are likely to play the same team as they have their entire unit available for selection with no injury concerns in the recent past.
Predicted XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders: Philip Salt (wk), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer ©, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis ©, Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Saurav Chauhan, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Mahipal Lomror, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Reece Topley, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Siraj
Prediction
Both Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are coming into the Sunday game after facing a loss in their last encounter. However, unlike RCB who have lost five games in a row, KKR will be in high spirits as they have lost only two matches in the tournament so far while winning four games. Thus, the chances of them scoring their fifth victory on Sunday are high.