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The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are set to lock horns in the sixth match of the ongoing IPL 2024 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday, March 25. While the hosts are backed with a loss, the visitors are coming off a thrilling victory.
RCB played the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the curtain raiser on Friday, March 22, but failed to open their account in the tournament. The Faf du Plessis-led side suffered a six-wicket defeat as CSK’s newly-appointed captain Ruturaj Gaikwad marked his first win leading the five-time champions.
PBKS, on the other hand, had a great outing in their campaign opener against the Delhi Capitals on Saturday, March 23, at their new home ground in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone pulled off the 175-run chase to win the fixture in the final over.
RCB will be hoping to get their campaign started by adding the first two points on the chart, while PBKS will be hoping to keep their winning momentum going.
That being said, let us have a look at three players who could score the most runs in today’s RCB vs PBKS clash.
#3 Faf du Plessis
The RCB captain and opening batter Faf du Plessis looked in solid touch in the team’s previous match against CSK. While Virat Kohli played second fiddle, du Plessis made merry of the opportunity and provided his team with a strong start.
He struck at 152.17 and hit eight fours to put up 35 runs in 23 deliveries before being dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman. The South African has consistently delivered noteworthy performances for RCB and will be expected to continue doing so.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium provides a tremendous advantage to the batters, thanks to the shorter boundaries. Given his track record at the venue, du Plessis will hold a key for RCB’s victory today.
#2 Sam Curran
The English all-rounder was in great form in the Punjab Kings’ last match against the Delhi Capitals. He showed promise with the bat under pressure and scored crucial runs for his side while chasing the target.
Curran emerged as the leading run-scorer for his side and also earned the Player of the Match award for his 47-ball 63. His knock included six fours and a solitary maximum as he built a crucial 67-run fifth-wicket partnership with Liam Livingstone before being dismissed.
PBKS openers failed to get going in the last game. While they’d be hoping to get a good amount of runs under their belt against RCB, Curran will be hopeful of putting up a similar performance if the situation demands.
#1 Virat Kohli
Former RCB skipper and the tournament’s leading run-scorer, Virat Kohli looked out of touch in the previous game as he made a comeback to competitive cricket after a long break.
Things might pan out differently in the forthcoming game as he returns to the team’s home ground, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Kohli has been prolific at the venue and has owned the game on several occasions.
With the pitch being batter-friendly, Kohli will look to set the tone straight when he steps out to bat alongside skipper Faf du Plessis. The Bengaluru crowd will have a great time if Kohli and du Plessis get RCB’s innings going.
