IPL 2019, Match 7, RCB vs MI: One key all-rounder from each team

The seventh match of IPL 2019 will be played on 28 March at 8 PM IST, between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.

Both these teams lost their first match of the tournament, and would be desperately looking to get back on track by winning this one.

RCB got all out for just 70 runs in their first match, against CSK. The MS Dhoni-led side then chased down the target in 17.4 overs.

On the other hand, MI failed to chase the target of 213 set by DC and got all out for 176 runs.

In the past editions of IPL, the RCB vs MI rivalry has been quite one-sided. MI have won 16 matches played between these two teams while RCB have managed to win only 9.

RCB seem like a stronger side in terms of batting but MI look like a more settled squad overall. Both teams have a bunch of quality all-rounders too, and these multi-faceted cricketers could make the difference in today's clash.

On that note, here's a look at one key all-rounder from each team.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore - Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali is an accomplished all-rounder from England. He is a spinner who can bat, and usually plays in the lower middle order for his national side.

Ali came into the IPL on the back of the ODI series against West Indies, in which he failed to make any impact. In last year's IPL he scored 77 with the bat and picked up 3 wickets from 5 matches.

This year, in the first match, Ali batted at No: 3 for RCB but managed to score only 9 runs. With the ball he picked up one wicket for 19 runs from the 4 overs he bowled.

With the World Cup nearing, Ali would be looking to get back his form and contribute more to his team with both ball and bat. If he gets going, particularly with the bat, he can exert a huge impact on the outcome of the game.

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Mumbai Indians - Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is that rare fast bowling all-rounder that India had been looking for since a while. He is likely going to be India's main all-rounder in the upcoming World Cup, even though he missed the recent home series against Australia due to an injury.

In last year's IPL, Pandya scored 260 runs from 13 matches and also picked up 18 wickets. But this year, in the first match, he failed to make any impact. He got out for a two-ball duck. and with the ball he picked up one wicket but went for plenty of runs in his 4 overs.

MI would expect him to perform better in the coming matches with both bat and ball. Pandya brings great balance to the side, and if he fires in either department, MI more often than not end up getting the upper hand.