Royal Challengers Bangalore will host Chennai Super Kings in Game 68 of IPL 2024 on Saturday, May 18| Reddy Anna. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be locking horns with the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Saturday, May 18. The two sides faced each other in the opening game of the season, with CSK winning convincingly by six wickets.
The home team has won their last five matches, successfully defending twice. For RCB to have a chance of qualifying for the playoffs, they must win against CSK. If they bat first, they need to set a target and defend it with a margin of 18 runs. Conversely, if they bat second, they must chase down CSK’s total within 18 overs.
Meanwhile, CSK have won seven out of their 13 matches so far, and their latest victory was against Rajasthan Royals by five wickets. However, CSK find themselves in a tricky position, as they are in a do-or-die situation too. To qualify for the playoffs, the five-time champions must defeat RCB and confirm their playoffs berth.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore Pitch Report
The surface at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium favors the batters. Due to the lightning-fast outfield and the relatively smaller size of the ground, high-scoring matches are typically expected at this venue. The bowlers face a challenging task in preventing the opposing teams from racking up substantial scores, as they need to remain highly vigilant and on their toes throughout the contest. The team that wins the toss will likely choose to bowl first at this venue.
Probable Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj, Swapnil SinghImpact Substitute: Suyash Prabhudessai
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Samir Rizvi, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet SinghImpact Substitute: Ajay Jadhav
RCB vs CSK Probable Best Players of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Virat Kohli: He could be the standout batter in the upcoming game against Chennai Super Kings. With 661 runs in 13 matches, Kohli is currently the highest run-getter in the season. His performance will be crucial against CSK, and he will be expected to score big in this do-or-die fixture for RCB.
Probable Best Bowler: Tushar Deshpande: He could be the best bowler in the upcoming game against Royal Challengers Bangalore. With 16 wickets in 12 matches, the 29-year-old pacer has been a force to reckon with. Chennai will be hoping that the Mumbai-born pacer can take them out of tricky situations on a batting-friendly pitch.
Match Prediction:
The match between RCB and CSK promises to be a thrilling contest. Given their recent form and home advantage, RCB might have a slight edge. However, CSK’s experience and depth make them formidable opponents. Expect a high-scoring, close encounter with both teams giving their all to secure a spot in the playoffs.
