The Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to dent Kings XI Punjab's hopes of making it to the IPL 2017 playoffs when the two teams meet at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Match No.43 of the tenth season of the Indian Premier League.
RCB are done and dusted as far as finishing in the top four is concerned, but they can still play spoilsport to other teams – or help some of the others out – by picking up wins in their remaining three games.
The way the IPL 2017 points table sits right now, Kings XI's playoffs destiny is in their own hands, so they will want to make the most of this game against RCB.
Here is a look at how RCB vs KXIP could go.
If RCB bat first:
Chris Gayle is back in the team and back in the mood. While the pitch remains a little slow, Gayle takes advantage of the ball coming on better in the Powerplay overs, with Virat Kohli quite composed at the other end.
Gayle and Kohli ally for 54 runs for the first wicket, and, surprisingly, it is Kohli that falls first, to Axar Patel, while going for a big shot.
AB De Villiers comes in and looks in good touch. With Gayle going strong at the other end, RCB are on course for a solid total, as good a total as you can produce on this slow pitch.
With a few pyrotechnics at the end, RCB are able to get to 168 in their 20 overs.
The Kings XI chase doesn't begin well, with Martin Guptill dismissed in the first over, while Manan Vohra falls in the Powerplay as well.
Shaun Marsh and Hashim Amla, however, combine for a nice partnership to keep Kings XI's hopes of hauling down the target alive.
When Amla falls, KXIP need to go at over ten runs an over, and while Glenn Maxwell comes in and thrills the crowd with a few big sixes, it doesn't last too long. There is just too much to do for Marsh in the end and RCB are able to pick up only their third win of IPL 2017.
If KXIP bat first:
Guptill and Amla get off to a strong start, getting to 45 in the first five overs. Guptill falls in the final over of the Powerplay, with Vohra also unable to do much after coming in ahead of Marsh at No.3.
Amla and Marsh add 40 runs together, before the latter falls, leaving Maxwell to put on something handy with the South African. They do just that, before some big sixes from Axar at the end takes Kings XI to 159.
Gayle and Kohli look like men on a mission, determined to get RCB a win and that determination shows in the score after the Powerplay overs – 68/0 in six.
Thanks to that start, the rest of the chase is fairly easy, with De Villiers coming in and playing a little cameo as well much to provide a little extra excitement for the Chinnaswamy crowd.
