Saturday's scheduled IPL contest at the Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru has all the gunpowder to be an explosive clash. But it can also turn out to be a damp squib. The ifs and buts around the game are intertwined such that one is not sure how the script will unfold.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (12 points) and Chennai Super Kings (14 points) are locked in virtual quarter final, with the winner having a great chance of securing the last playoffs berth available. Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad have already booked their places in the last-four.
The scales though are tilted in favour of Chennai. They only need to win to qualify and a win by a good margin can even go on to earn them the prized second place in the league standings if the other results go their way.
But what if the match is washed out and the teams are forced to split points? Even then, Chennai, with 15 points, will make the grade. The forecast for Saturday in Bengaluru talks of likely rain in the evening. If the heavens open up and deny a game, it would be a disappointing end of the campaign for RCB.
If there's a game, RCB will surely fancy their chances. They are the team in form, powered by five back-to-back victories. The sixth one surely is possible, they would think, more so because Chennai have been inconsistent this season and also have had a poor record on the road. Historically though, Chennai have had a better record, winning 21 of the 32 matches against RCB.
However, a win alone cannot take RCB through, they will have to keep the net run-rate equations in mind. For example, if RCB score 200 batting first, they need to win by 18 runs. Or if they are chasing 200, they need to do it with about 11 balls to spare. Faf du Plessis' team looks very capable of achieving either given the momentum they are carrying.
The Chinnaswamy has been favourable to batters and Virat Kohli will be the best man with bat on the pitch on Saturday. The former captain has been milking runs at will, with five fifties and a hundred.
Talking of former captains, Chennai too have one on their side. Mahendra Singh Dhoni. If Chennai fail to qualify for the playoffs, no one knows if Saturday will be the last time that the legend plays a competitive match for his beloved team. So there's that subplot too.
Chennai will be worried about their bowling. They have lost their two pace spearheads this season — Mustafizur Rahman and Mathesha Pathirana. The rest does not inspire the same confidence.
RCB will be missing Will Jacks, who has returned home, but with Rajat Patidar in fine form, they probably have that covered.
But the big question is, will it rain fours and sixes in Bengaluru on Saturday, or will it only rain?
