RCB vs PBKS
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will aim for their first win of the IPL 2024 season when they take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) at home on Monday evening. RCB started the campaign with a loss to defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener.
RCB's top and middle order failed miserably in that match, losing five wickets for only 78 runs. Dinesh Karthik and Anuj Rawat resurrected them with an exceptional partnership of 95 runs for the sixth wicket, propelling them to a total of 173/6.
But it didn't prove enough for them in the end, as CSK comfortably chased down the target with six wickets remaining. RCB will need their top and middle-order batters to step up in this match. With home advantage in their favour, they have hardly anything to complain about. Moreover, PBKS are coming into this match after an emphatic win against Delhi Capitals. They also have a strong batting lineup, capable of challenging RCB at their den.
Key Players: Virat Kohli and Prabhsimran Singh
Virat Kohli is anticipated to lead the scoring charts for RCB in this contest. He has an excellent track record in Bengaluru and will be eager to play a big knock in this match.
On the other side, Punjab Kings' rising star Prabhsimran Singh, fresh off a promising 26-run innings, is expected to shine brightly in this encounter. He also scored over 400 runs in IPL 2023, including a century.
Match Prediction
Predicting a winner in the high-stakes match is challenging due to their powerful batting rosters. However, RCB edges ahead as favorites courtesy of their superior and seasoned batting lineup. Coupled with the advantage of playing on familiar turf at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB grants them a psychological edge in this electrifying contest.
CSK vs GT
Defending Champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will meet last year's runners-up Gujarat Titans (GT) in their second match of this IPL 2024 season in Chepauk on Tuesday. Both teams got off to a winning start to their campaign and will be eager to stretch it to two wins in a row. Only one team will emerge victorious in this contest, though.
Both teams are playing under a new captain this season. Ruturaj Gaikwad has taken over the reins at CSK from the legendary MS Dhoni, and Shubman Gill has been elevated to the captaincy at GT, with Hardik Pandya returning to the Mumbai Indians.
CSK registered a comprehensive six-wicket win over RCB in the previous match. It was a near-perfect performance but death bowling did emerge as a concern as they allowed RCB to recover from 71/5 to 173/6. That's an area they will be eager to improve in this match.
On the other hand, Gujarat Titans registered a narrow six-run win over MI in the previous game. The GT bowlers did a fantastic job, but the batters have a big room for improvement. Apart from Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Rahul Tewatia, towards the end, the GT innings failed to gain momentum as the other batters couldn't perform well. GT will be hoping for much better returns from their batters heading into this match against CSK.
Key Players: Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad
Both skippers have a crucial role for their respective teams in this encounter. Gill looked solid during his brief knock of 31 in the previous match and will be looking to convert that into a big score in this contest. He was also the Orange Cap Winner last season. On the other hand, Gaikwad will be looking to do much better than his returns of 15 runs in the previous match. He scored over 500 runs in the previous edition and will be eager to get going in this battle.
Match Prediction
Both teams have balanced overall squads and have most bases covered. But CSK have more firepower in its batting unit, and its familiarity with home conditions also gives them a massive advantage in this contest. So, Gaikwad and Co start as the favourites to win this battle.