IPL 2024, KKR vs RCB: Bengaluru Opt To Bowl First, Look To Revive Campaign; Check Playing XIs

Kolkata: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face a daunting task against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 36th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. RCB, led by Faf du Plessis, finds themselves at the bottom of the table with only 2 points and a disappointing net run rate of -1.185. While their batting has shown glimpses of form, their bowling has been a major concern.

In their last game against Hyderabad, RCB conceded a whopping 287 runs, the highest team total in IPL history. Despite Dinesh Karthik’s impressive 83 runs, RCB fell short by 25 runs. Virat Kohli, the top run-scorer of IPL 2024, has displayed his prowess with a century against Rajasthan. However, consistency remains a challenge for the unit.

On the flip side, Kolkata Knight Riders suffered a defeat against Rajasthan Royals in their previous game. Despite Sunil Narine’s remarkable ton and valuable contributions from players like Phil Salt and Andre Russell, KKR couldn’t secure a win.

In head-to-head encounters, KKR hold a 20-14 advantage over RCB in 34 meetings since 2008. At the Eden Gardens, KKR has won 7 out of 11 matches against RCB.

The pitch in Kolkata is expected to favour batsmen, although the team batting first might face some challenges in the day game conditions. The toss could play a crucial role in determining the outcome. Expect another high-scoring affair on Super Sunday at the Eden Gardens.

Playing XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: Philip Salt(w), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis(c), Virat Kohli, Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik(w), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj