Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: IPL 2018 live stream, preview and team news

• Sunrisers defended a 147-run target against the Royal Challengers in the reverse fixture.
• RCB have a positive head-to-head record (3-2) against the SRH at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Royal Challengers Bangalore host table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, May 17.

When is RCB vs SRH and how to watch it live on TV, online

The 51st match of IPL 2018 will start at 8 pm IST, 3:30 pm BST in Bengaluru.

Star Sports will provide live television coverage of the match in India. Live stream will be available on Hotstar.

RCB vs SRH - IPL 2018 preview

With their playoffs qualification hopes hanging by a thread, seventh-placed RCB will need nothing less than a win on Thursday.

The Bangalore-based franchise have an opportunity to jump to the fifth spot or even displace Mumbai Indians (12 points from 13 games with Net Run Rate of +0.384) enter the top four if they win by a good margin as their NRR (+0.218) is among the best in the eight-team league.

RCB are heading into the match on the back of a two-match winning run, which includes a massive 10-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab in Indore on Monday, May 14. Their bowling unit, which had been leaking runs, came to the party against R Ashwin's men, who were bowled out for 88.

Skipper Virat Kohli will be hoping for another such performance from his bowlers on what could be an overcast evening in the southern Indian city.

Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers key to RCB's success

Nonetheless, RCB's batting unit, which has come up with improved performances in the recent past, will be in for a big test against the Sunrisers' bowlers, who have been on top of their game in the ongoing season.

Kohli and AB de Villiers have been relishing the challenge of must-win games in the last two matches and the star duo will be hoping to treat their loyal fans to a special one in their final home game later today.

RCB will be hoping for a good batting track at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday as a two-paced wicket will hand the advantage to SRH, who have been masterfully defending below-par scores in the ongoing season.

However, SRH have traveled to Bengaluru on the back of an eight-wicket defeat, which also ended their six-match winning streak, to Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, May 13. The Sunrisers bowlers, including pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar, were taken to the cleaners by CSK batsmen Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu.

While RCB will be looking to emulate CSK's tactics against the Sunrisers bowlers, Kane Williamson would want his men to make a quick comeback. The onus to lead the attack will be on Kumar and Rashid Khan, who have the firepower to trouble even quality batsmen of the likes of Kohli and de Villiers.

RCB vs SRH - Team News

Royal Challengers Bangalore probable playing XI: Virat Kohli (c), Parthiv Patel (wk) AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Manan Vohra, Moeen Ali, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Sunrisers Hyderabad probable playing XI: Kane Williamson (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma.

Global TV listings and live stream information - RCB vs SRH

UK: TV - Sky Sports; Live stream - skysports.com, Sky Go

USA: Willow, Hotstar

Pakistan: TV - Geo Super; Live stream - www.geosuper.tv, www.geo.tv

Afghanistan: Lemar TV