At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, the already eliminated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) take on the hopeful Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season will mark the first time the two franchises will face one another.
With four victories in 12 games, SRH is ranked last on the table. For Sunrisers fans, it has been yet another forgettable season. They haven’t been able to win more than two games in a row, and they’re currently winless in two games.
On the other hand, RCB is fifth on the points chart with twelve points and is hoping to qualify for the playoffs. They defeated the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their most recent match, winning by a commanding margin of 112 runs.
Here is a detailed guide on the crucial batsmen, crucial bowlers, anticipated lineups, and crucial battles leading up to the match between SRH and RCB.
Predicted starting lineups for SRH vs RCB
SRH: Abhishek Sharma, Anmolpreet Singh, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram (C), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Glenn Phillips, Abdul Samad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Mayank Markande, and Fazalhaq Farooqi make up SRH.
RCB: Faf Du Plessis (C), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Anuj Rawat (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Michael Bracewell, Wayne Parnell, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj, and Karn Sharma.
Top Batters:
Heinrich Klaasen (SRH): For SRH, Heinrich Klaasen has been in excellent form all season. Even though he has only played nine innings, he has been the team’s leading run-scorer. Having scored 326 runs at an average of 46, Klaasen would like to put a smile on the SRH supporters’ faces.
Faf Du Plessis (RCB): In 2023, Faf reached the pinnacle of his form for the RCB, scoring 631 runs at a strike rate of 154. Additionally, he is the owner of the orange cap. Faf would like to increase his lead at the top of the leading run-scorer charts as the opposition has low morale at the moment.
The Sunrisers are one of Virat Kohli’s favourite opponents to play. VK would dearly love to play a game-winning inning on Thursday to keep RCB’s playoff qualification hopes alive. He has scored 569 runs at an average of 31.
Top Bowlers:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH): Coming off a victory over the top-of-the-table Gujarat Titans (GT), Bhuvi will be feeling confident going into this game. In his IPL career, Bhuvi has defeated RCB 17 times. Bhuvi would want to finish the season strong because SRH is playing solely for pride.
Mohammed Siraj (RCB): Siraj would be licking his fingers if the top order for SRH was struggling. The native son could benefit from his familiarity with the Hyderabad pitch when playing the Sunrisers.
Wayne Parnell (RCB): Against the Rajasthan Royals, Wayne Parnell was outstanding. He took the batting section apart by himself. Parnell would aim to increase his nine wickets in the current season as the Hyderabad pitch favours the pacers.
SRH vs RCB’s key battles
1. Faf Du Plessis vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar: They may square off today in a match of two regal players. While Du Plessis scored a half-century in the previous game for RCB, Bhuvi is coming off a wicket.
2. Heinrich Klaasen vs Wayne Parnell: Who Will Win the Battle of the Proteans? Klaasen and Parnell are both in excellent form, and this matchup has the potential to get things hot.
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