Bengaluru, May 18: This is likely to be the final time the two icons of Indian cricket - MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli face each other as rivals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
This too is a must win match for their respective IPL franchises Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), as the two southern teams meet each other in the 68th match of the IPL 2024 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, here on Saturday.
Both CSK and RCB would be desperate to win their final league match of IPL 2024 to book a berth in the play-offs. But the fear of rain is likely to be decisive factor too, warned Weatherman.
If RCB do not qualify for play-offs, Saturday's match in Bengaluru may also be the final IPL match of veteran wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik.
Karthik has earlier represented Team India for years. He has been a vital member for the RCB in the last couple of seasons . The Tamil Nadu keeper has also played for IPL franchises Mumbai, Punjab and Kolkata earlier.
As the ongoing IPL 2024 inches closer to its culmination, the excitement remains at the pinnacle as five-time champions CSK and RCB fight for the final playoff berth in their last league stage encounter.
Table toppers Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have already booked their places for the knockout stages but the last team to join them in the playoffs is yet to be ascertained.
RCB are on a five-match winning streak after outclassing Delhi Capitals by 47 runs in their previous game. Despite the forgettable start, the Bengaluru-based franchise gained momentum in the middle of the season to stay alive in the title race. With 12 points in 13 matches, RCB are placed sixth in the standings.
RCB must need to win the match against CSK to bolster their hopes of a title finish. It is not just a win but by a certain margin to better their net run-rate than the defending champions.
On the other hand, Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai hold 14 points in 13 games and currently occupying fourth spot in the points table. A win against RCB will make them the final team to progress to playoffs.
However, they can still qualify even after losing the match on the basis of net run rate (NRR). CSK need to minimise the losing margin to keep their NRR intact.
There is also a possibility of a washout as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rainfall in Chennai on Friday and Saturday (match day).
In case of a washout or a truncated match, the scenarios will favour the visitors more than RCB. Both teams will get a point each in case of no result while if the overs are reduced, RCB will find it difficult to support their NRR even after a win.
While both teams would be eager to see themselves in the play-offs, the fans in M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Saturday, may be desperate for a thrilling match.
Bangalore and Chennai have faced each other in 32 matches in IPL. Out of these 32 games, Bangalore have won 10 whereas Chennai have come out victorious on 21 occasion. 1 match ended without a result.
RCB v CSK head-to-head: 32
Chennai Super Kings: 21
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 10
No result: 1
Match time: The match starts at 7:30 PM IST (2:00 PM GMT) with the toss taking place half an hour before the match i.e., 7:00 PM (1:30 PM GMT)
Match venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Live broadcast on television in India: The match will be broadcast live via Star Sports Network.
Live stream in India: The live streaming would be available on JioCinema
Probable Squads:
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Sameer Rizvi, MS Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis (Captain), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Rajat Patidar, Mahipal Lomror, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Yash Dayal, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson and Swapnil Singh.
If rain does not play spoilsport, an intense and emotional show is awaited at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday evening.
Despite the result of the match, fans, experts and cricket enthusiasts would be keen to see their icon players do well, may be for a final time in the IPL against each other. (With IANS Support)
