The upcoming IPL 2024 fixture between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 25th at 7:30 PM IST promises an exciting showdown. Royal Challengers Bangalore currently occupies the sixth spot in the IPL 2024 points table, having faced defeat in their sole match thus far. In contrast, Punjab Kings holds the second position, buoyed by a victory in their opening encounter.
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s recent defeat to Chennai Super Kings saw them lose by 6 wickets with 8 balls remaining, despite notable contributions from Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik, who scored 48 and 38 runs, respectively. Conversely, Punjab Kings secured a convincing 6-wicket win over Delhi Capitals, with Sam Curran leading the charge with a score of 63 runs.
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In their IPL history, Royal Challengers Bangalore has emerged victorious in 14 out of 31 encounters against Punjab Kings. However, in their last five matches, Punjab Kings hold a slight advantage, clinching three victories compared to Royal Challengers Bangalore’s two. The stage is set for another thrilling clash as both teams vie for supremacy on the cricketing field.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Virat Kohli boasts an impressive IPL record against Arshdeep Singh, scoring 44 runs off 23 balls without being dismissed. Kohli aims to maintain this dominance early in the match. However, Harpreet Brar, who has dismissed Kohli twice in previous encounters, poses a challenge in the middle overs. Faf du Plessis, with a record of 79 runs off 46 balls against the left-arm spinner, seeks to capitalize on his past success.
Probable XI: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Anuj Rawat (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Alzarri Joseph, Mayank Dagar, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
In terms of tactics and matchups, Kagiso Rabada holds a favorable record against RCB’s key batsmen, having dismissed Kohli four times in all T20s and du Plessis and Maxwell three times each. On the other side, Jonny Bairstow aims to exploit Mohammed Siraj’s vulnerability early in the innings. Bairstow has maintained a striking rate of 230 against Siraj without being dismissed.
Probable XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Jitesh Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan (vc), Faf du Plessis (c), Jonny Bairstow, Glenn Maxwell, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Cameron Green, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Jitesh Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Faf du Plessis, Jonny Bairstow, Glenn Maxwell (vc), Sam Curran, Cameron Green, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel
