Playoffs qualification beckons Royal Challengers Bengaluru whereas elimination stares Kolkata Knight Riders within the face as the 2 sides meet in an Indian Premier League fixture on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium right here on Saturday.
A win for RCB over the defending champion will assure a top-four berth and clear the course for it to stake declare for a top-two spot. For KKR, a defeat will ship the outfit crashing out.
The residence aspect will definitely fancy its chances, for it has all abroad personnel – besides injured pacer Josh Hazlewood – again after the week-long break, and has additionally seen skipper Rajat Patidar make vital progress after struggling a hand harm within the recreation towards Chennai Super Kings on May 3.
RCB has gained 4 matches on the trot, the final of which was the nerve-wracking two-run win over CSK. Though it got here almost a fortnight in the past, it’s the type of victory that exhibits a staff’s championship mettle.
RCB’s star batter Virat Kohli trains on the eve of the IPL match towards KKR.
| Photo Credit:
Ok. MURALI KUMAR
Another enhance include the information that all-rounder Romario Shepherd, hero in that win over CSK, will probably be obtainable for the complete match operating up to June 3 regardless of being named within the West Indies squad that may meet Ireland and England for six mixed ODIs beginning May 21.
For KKR, its abroad contingent, excluding Rovman Powell and Moeen Ali, has arrived however there’s a back-breaking job at hand. And not solely does it have to win its remaining two matches, it wants beneficial outcomes elsewhere.
“There is nothing much to lose from here,” mentioned KKR’s Manish Pandey, on match-eve. “We could have had a better tournament but we lost a few games in the middle. But with two more games, everybody is wanting to perform.”
Published – May 16, 2025 09:53 pm IST
