Chapter 3 of the Battle Royale set to determine the second finalist of IPL 2022

It is simply two steps away from a glory that seems exceptionally tantalizing and yet those two steps are going to be the hardest in RCB’s journey to the Promised Land. Beating Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator, the Challengers are all set to take on a familiar foe with whom the equation has been anything but smooth.

As the second qualifier of the season beckons, it is the third chapter of the Battle Royale in IPL 2022 with the Royal Challengers Bangalore taking on the Rajasthan Royals in what is going to be the decider for the second finalists after Gujarat secured the first final berth.

The Challengers will be coming into this battle on the back of a thrilling win against the Lucknow Super Giants that saw the game going down to the very wire but an exceptional death over showdown from Harshal Patel and Josh Hazlewood sealed the fate of the contest. If Patel and Hazlewood delivered the goods with the ball in their hands, Rajat Patidar would hammer home an extraordinary century to help RCB impose a momentous total.

Rajasthan Royals, on the contrary, witnessed another masterclass from Jos Buttler to pile up a significant total on the cards but David Miller and Hardik Pandya would rise to the occasion just when their team needed them and what sprang forth was stuff from the fables with Royals left to carve their way to the top.

In a game that would eventually decide who would be the second finalist, it would be a full-blown streetfight staying witness to a handful of nasty haymakers as multiple heavyweights of the game would come together to belt out an absolute masterclass.

Venue Watch:

The contest between these two juggernauts will be played out at the Narendra Modi Stadium which is known for its dynamic batting surface. More importantly, the surface will be fresh given the fact that the stadium will be witnessing the first IPL game of the season, which will make the ball come a lot easier onto the bat.

X Factors:

Virat Kohli: Despite going through a forgettable IPL, Kohli is one man who can never be written off. On his heyday, he is someone who can totally change the complexion of the game with his hard-hitting ability and his clinical execution of strokes. He has a variegated arsenal that makes him a menace to deal with if he manages to get his eyes in. This is a do-or-die encounter and it is needless to say that Kohli would not have any reservation in mind before going for the kill.

Faf du Plessis: The former South African skipper has been somewhat of an intimidating moniker in patches in the ongoing edition of the IPL 2022. However, the formidable stalwart that du Plessis is, he can wreak absolute havoc with the blade in his hands if he manages to spend a while in the middle. The first game of the season witnessed the sheer carnage that the South African captain is capable of once he steps foot on the gas.

Josh Hazlewood: The Australian fast bowler has struggled a bit in terms of conceding runs in the last three games but he has also compensated for the same in the last two matches with the number of wickets he has bagged. More importantly, he is one man who is one of the most disciplined bowlers in the death overs and his relentless attacking of the stumps justifies the third position that he holds in the world in the ICC T20 Rankings.

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bangalore:

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudesai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey, Rajat Patidar, Siddharth Kaul.

Rajasthan Royals:

Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler (R), Yashasvi Jaiswal (R), R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Arunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubham Garhwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rassie Van Der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell

Match Details:

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Date: 27th May 2022

Time: 7:30 PM IST