Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to inch closer to securing a playoffs berth when they clash with Punjab Kings on Sunday.
RCB are currently placed third on the table with seven wins for a total of 14 points and are hoping that another two points will confirm a place in the last-four. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, are coming off a morale-boosting win against Kolkata Knight Riders which has kept them in the hunt.
Both RCB and Punjab Kings seem to have finally figured out what their best combinations are. Giving an extended run to Srikar Bharat at No.3 has brought stability to RCB’s batting order. With Glenn Maxwell also making it count, they have a solid line-up which can destroy any attack.
Punjab Kings will have their task cut out in Sharjah. Virat Kohli looked good during his stay in the middle against Rajasthan Royals, as did the skipper’s young opening partner Devdutt Padikkal.
Batting down the order this season, AB de Villiers provides RCB the kind of cushion the other teams lack, and Punjab Kings are well aware of this.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, will again rely on their trusted opening duo of skipper KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal to provide them a flying start.
Agarwal has an incredible strike rate of 184 against Yuzvendra Chahal in T20s but that has also come at a cost, with Chahal dismissing him four times in 37 balls.
RCB could use Chahal in the powerplay overs to break that opening stand.
The biggest plus for Punjab Kings is their death bowling that paved the way for their win against KKR. Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh’s two incisive overs at the death went a long way in setting up Punjab’s victory.
The young Arshdeep is Punjab Kings’ leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps from 10 matches.