Redemption, playoffs spot at stake as Royal Challengers Bangalore lock horns with Punjab Kings

There is a lot to play for as the race for the playoffs heats up. The tournament has reached its business end. As things currently stand, the race for the final spot is gaining steam, with as many as four teams still in the running for the fourth spot. There will be a lot on the line when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Punjab Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Following consecutive losses in the first two games of the second leg of the tournament, Virat Kohli's troops have shown tremendous character in fighting back. Riding on a great display of performance by the bowlers and well supported by the batters, the Royal Challengers are sitting comfortably at the third spot with 14 points with still three games left. The successive victories over Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals have done a wonders for the team’s morale. 

On the batting front, the skipper has looked in prime touch at the crease in the previous three encounters. KS Bharat, the new No.3, has displayed great poise and promise with the bat. His adaptability, from being a perfect foil to being able to take head-on against any bowling attack with his range of shots, is admirable. Furthermore, his abilities behind the wicket are an asset to the team.

The star of the show has been Glenn Maxwell. What's more impressive is that he has delivered the goods not only with the bat but also with the ball. There was much chatter about Maxwell's inability to score runs in UAE conditions. Needless to say, the Australian has put the ghosts of IPL 2020 to rest with his outstanding all-round performance. Come Sunday, Maxwell will understandably be the player to look out for, when he faces his former side. The Punjab bowling attack will be wary of the Aussie threat. 

As far as the bowling department is concerned, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, & Mohammed Siraj - have fired in unison, handing breakthroughs for the team at important junctures of the game. More importantly, they have been ably supported by the likes of utility players - Shahbaz Ahmed and Dan Christian - who have made some vital contributions whenever the captain has turned to them. 

Punjab Kings kept their playoffs chances alive beating Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday but still have their task cut out in the last two fixtures. The two quality sides, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, stand in their way. 

With RCB just a win away from securing a playoff berth, a loss for KL Rahul's side would signal the end of their playoff hopes.

The last time the two teams met, PBKS prevailed with a 34-run victory in Ahmedabad. While the pair of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have been good at the top, the main area of concern lies in their middle-order. Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda haven't quite lived up to the expectations. The West Indian hasn't been at his usual best and this can be evaluated from the fact that the strike rate has dropped considerably as compared to the previous season. Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, and Mohammed Shami have been the highlight with the ball. The young leg-spinner, specifically, has been the trump card, bamboozling batters with his googlies.

Redemption on the cards for RCB. Playoffs spot at stake for Punjab Kings. With a lot of things at stake, expect a riveting contest at Sharjah tomorrow. 

Match Details 

Date: Sunday, 3 October

Time: 3:30 PM [IST] 

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Squads

RCB: Virat Kohli (C), AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pavan Deshpande, Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Kyle Jamieson, Dan Christian, Suyash Prabhudessai, KS Bharat, Tim David, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akash Deep, George Garton.

PBKS: KL Rahul (c), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Adil Rashid, Mohammed Shami, Harpreet Brar, Aiden Markram, Nathan Ellis, Ishan Porel, Chris Jordan, Jalaj Saxena, Moises Henriques, Prabhsimran Singh, Mandeep Singh, Murugan Ashwin, Sarfaraz Khan, Fabian Allen, Saurabh Kumar, Utkarsh Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Arshdeep Singh.