Lots has changed since the 2 sides last met. RCB are on a winning streak and KXIP are on a losing streak. Kings XI Punjab would certainly consider themselves unlucky after their loss to KKR. They bowled pretty well, and for once, seemed to have gotten their team combination right. They also paced their chase well but lost the match from a position where they needed just 29 runs in four overs with nine wickets in hand.Their chances of making it to the playoffs are very slim, but they will certainly look to make a comeback in this game. KL Rahul should take confidence from the fact that his team dominated most of the game against KKR. They will, however, need to be at their best if they want to stand any chance of beating this RCB juggernaut.Incidentally, KXIP’s only win of the season came against RCB, so can they do it again?
Match Details
Match: KXIP vs RCB match 31
Date:
15th October 2020 (Thursday)
Time:
7:30 PM IST
Venue:
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
What To Expect:
The pitch at Sharjah has slowed down considerably, and teams batting first have won despite posting scores that have been lesser than 200. The spinners will be crucial in this game, and the batsmen need to have a set plan as to how they’re going to play them. However, they can score a lot of runs if they bat smartly. Any score above 200 will be above-par.
Kings XI Punjab:
Since they have made the most changes to their playing XI this season, one can expect KXIP to make some changes ahead of this fixture too. Simran Singh hasn’t used his opportunities well, and Deepak Hooda or Sarfaraz Khan could replace him. The Universe boss Chris Gayle has recovered and is most likely to make his way to the XI.
KXIP Predicted Playing XI:
KL Rahul (C and WK), Chris Gayle Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Sarfaraz Khan, Chris Jordan Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, and Arshdeep Singh.
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
RCB seem to have figured out the right team combination and have fielded a very balanced team so far. The performances of Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal have been brilliant, as the spin duo has choked oppositions and made them commit a lot of mistakes.New signing Chris Morris has hit the ground running as well. Despite missing five games through injury, Morris has already made a huge impact by picking up five wickets in two games.Devdutt Padikkal’s consistent showings have lessened the pressure on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, who are playing with a lot more freedom. De Villiers was the match-winner for RCB against KKR and played an astounding knock of 73* off just 33 balls on a very sluggish Sharjah wicket.
RCB Predicted Playing XI:
Aaron Finch, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (C), AB de Villiers (WK), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Isuru Udana, Chris Morris, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, and Yuzvendra Chahal.