This is a do-or-die game for both teams, a high-stakes encounter where only one will advance to challenge the Top 4 Spots. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faces a straightforward qualification scenario: they must win both upcoming matches (against DC & CSK) with a substantial margin to boost their Net Run Rate. If batting first, they aim for victory by more than 50 runs; if chasing, they must chase down the target within 15 overs. As for Delhi Capitals (DC), The path to advancement depends on defeating RCB and later triumphing against LSG, while hoping for CSK's misfortune in their remaining fixtures.
RCB's journey in the tournament has been marred by disappointment, yet they've given their 100% in recent games and grabbed slim chances of advancement. Traditionally known for their aggressive brand of cricket, they had been overly reliant on Virat Kohli, praying for miracles. Miraculously, fortunes have turned! Will Jack's century inject momentum in RCB, which they desperately lacked in the initial eight games. Their victory against SRH was promising, but it was the match against GT that truly pumped up them, with Virat and Will Jack decimating the opposition's bowling attack. RCB is now filled with confidence, determined to emerge victorious, with the inclusion of Will Jack and consistent contributions from Cameron Green yielding positive results. Their bowling unit appears potent with self-assurance, and they seem to be ready to face the challenges.
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals, led by stand-in captain Axar Patel in the absence of Rishabh Pant (banned for Slow over rate), find themselves in a do-or-die clash against RCB. Despite the odds seemingly favoring RCB, DC's star player, Jake Fraser McGurk, holds the key to their fortunes. The Australian prodigy has been in exceptional form, significantly impacting his debut IPL appearance: another promising talent, Tristan Stubbs, shades of a young AB De Villiers. With Rishabh Pant absent, McGurk and Stubbs emerge as pivotal figures in the batting lineup, supported by the experienced Shai Hope and emerging talent Abhishek Porel. Despite facing injury woes, DC's youthful squad displays unwavering commitment and resilience. While battling with challenges such as Warner's lack of form and Mitchell Marsh's untimely injury exit, DC finds light in the darkness in the form of informed players like Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, and Rasikh Dar, who possess the prowess to turn the tide in their favor.
Player to watch:
Jake Fraser-McGurk: 7 innings, 309 runs, 44 Average, 235 Strike Rate, 30 fours, 26 sixes.
- Scored 89% of Runs with boundaries.
- Scored Fastest 50 by DC batters in the history of IPL only in 15 balls (Twice).
- Most Fifties by a Batter under 20 balls (3 times only in 7 games).
Head to head: RCB 18 - 11 DC
Playing 11:
Royal Challengers Bangaluru: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (C), Will Jack, Rajat Patidar, Mahipal Lomror, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson - Impact (Yash Dayal)
Delhi Capitals: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Prithvi Shaw, Abhishek Porel, Shai Hope (wk), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (C), Gulbadin Naib, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma - Impact (Rasikh Dar)
When: May 12, 2024 at 19:30 IST
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
What to expect: The ground has seen high scores come at great frequency given the boundary sizes but the effects of rain could spoil the game.
DREAM 11:
