Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are on a roll in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, as they get set to face former champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 52, in Sharjah, on Saturday. A win for RCB would seal their spot in the playoffs.
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RCB are currently placed second in the table, as a win would make them the second team to qualify for the playoffs, after defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). As for SRH, they have to win their remaining two matches, to stay in contention for the playoffs, while a loss would knock them out. Meanwhile, we present the match preview here.
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Current form: Currently, both teams are coming off contrasting performances. While RCB succumbed to a five-wicket defeat to MI, in their last game, SRH tamed Delhi Capitals (DC) by 88 runs.
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Team composition: As for the teams of both, there is a similarity. While they are mostly balanced in all departments, it would be a clash of the bowlers, as both are heavy in the same area.
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Head-to-head: To date, both have clashed on 16 occasions, with RCB winning seven and SRH winning eight. As for their previous clash, it was their first-ever encounter in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was won by RCB, by 10 runs.
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Weather and pitch report: The temperature is likely to be around 32 degrees, as the desert area is expected to stay cool, unlike other days, with a 47% chance of humidity. As for the track, it is not the same as it was during the initial phase of the tournament. However, it is still batting friendly, with a score around 170-180 being deemed contentious.
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Predicted XIRCB: Devdutt Padikkal, Josh Philippe (wk), Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers, Shivam Dube, Gurkeerat Singh, Washington Sundar, Chris Morris, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj and Isuru Udana.SRH: David Warner (c), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Priyam GargVijay Shankar, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, T Natarajan and Sandeep Sharma.
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Fantasy XIBatsmen: Kohli (c), Warner, Gurkeerat- Warner can provide the ideal start as an opener, while Kohli and Gurkeerat can consolidate the middle-order. Kohli's uplifting form makes him the captain for the side.Wicketkeepers: Philippe, de Villiers, Saha- Philippe can give stability at the top, along with de Villiers, while Saha can blend well with Warner as the opener.All-rounders: Morris (vc), Rashid- Both are bowling all-rounders and are almost sure to make an impact with the ball, owing to their excellent form of late, while they can also fire with the bat if needed. Morris's consistency makes him the vice-captain.Bowlers: Natarajan, Sundar, Chahal- Natarajan can dominate with his pace, along with Morris. However, Chahal's lethal form with his spin is sure to be effective, alongside Sundar and Rashid.
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Players to watch out:Saha: The wicketkeeper-batsman shocked the fans with a classy innings of 87. The same would once again be expected from him, as SRH desperately need the win.Chahal: Meanwhile, Saha would face intense competition against Chahal, who has been deadly with his spin, throughout the tournament. RCB would once again be relying on his bowling to guarantee their playoffs berth, with the much-needed win.
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