Already via to the playoffs, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will purpose to safe a top-two league stage end for the primary time in 9 years after they tackle Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) of their Indian Premier League conflict on Friday (May 23, 2025)
RCB has not completed contained in the top two for the reason that 2016 season after they signed off as runners-up ultimately.
However, at the moment second on the desk with 17 factors from 12 video games, victories of their remaining two matches might doubtlessly lock a top-two spot.
Friday’s (May 23, 2025) fixture, initially a house sport for the Bengaluru outfit, was shifted due to the onset of monsoon.
RCB was in red-hot kind prior to the league’s disruption due to the India-Pakistan army battle, and the aspect had strung collectively 4 consecutive wins.
But the momentum was halted by a washout of their first sport after resumption. Following a 20-day break, it is going to be attention-grabbing to see whether or not they retain their rhythm and aggressive edge.
Chasing an elusive IPL crown, RCB have managed one among their most constant campaigns in latest reminiscence.
The ever-reliable Virat Kohli has been in imperious kind, scoring seven fifties in 11 innings and anchoring the top order with attribute magnificence.
Skipper Rajat Patidar, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd have complemented him effectively with well timed bursts of energy hitting.
That mentioned, Patidar’s kind took a dip simply earlier than the break. After averaging 37.2 in his first 5 video games, he managed solely 53 runs within the subsequent 5 at a mean of 10.6.
A finger harm, sustained in the course of the residence conflict against Chennai Super Kings, pressured him right into a splint. However, he has been batting freely within the nets as soon as once more in a promising signal for RCB heading into the enterprise finish.
The spin duo of Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma has been very efficient, whereas Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal have bowled the tough overs with ease within the tempo division.
However, Hazlewood won’t be accessible for the sport as he recovers from his shoulder harm.
In an added increase, most of RCB’s international recruits can be found for this match and past.
Last yr’s finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad, are coming off a convincing six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants and might be keen to carry that momentum and end this forgettable season on a excessive.
While SRH’s marketing campaign has had flashes of brilliance, significantly from explosive openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, consistency has remained elusive, main to their eighth place on the desk.
Their bowling unit, regardless of that includes marquee names like skipper Pat Cummins and India pacer Mohammad Shami, has struggled to ship collectively and assert management in key moments.
Teams
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma, Sachin Baby, Smaran Ravichandran, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Travis Head, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Wiaan Mulder, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Simarjeet Singh, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga.
Match begins 7:30 p.m. IST.
Published – May 22, 2025 02:39 pm IST
