Abu Dhabi: With three back-to-back wins, a confident SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be looking to march ahead in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Eliminator at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Friday.
Bangalore have suffered four consecutive defeats and the Virat Kohli-led side last tasted a victory against Kolkata Knight Riders nearly two weeks ago.
However, RCB still managed to enter the playoffs, thanks to their first-half performances and the different permutations and combinations that went their way.
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Run 🏃
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 6, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Lift 🏋️
Matchday preps done ✅#SRHvRCB #OrangeArmy #KeepRising #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/lBKR33SJZN
">Run 🏃
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 6, 2020
Lift 🏋️
Matchday preps done ✅#SRHvRCB #OrangeArmy #KeepRising #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/lBKR33SJZNRun 🏃
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 6, 2020
Lift 🏋️
Matchday preps done ✅#SRHvRCB #OrangeArmy #KeepRising #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/lBKR33SJZN
On Friday, Kohli and Co. will, however, face a must-win situation as another defeat will end their campaign. Young opener Josh Philippe (78 in 5 matches) is yet to score big after getting starts in the last few matches. RCB may also decide to bring back Aaron Finch at the top order to partner Devdutt Padikkal (472 in 14 matches) who has been brilliant so far at the top of the order.
Kohli (460 in 14 matches), whose strike-rate has been under the scanner in recent times, will have the responsibility to build the innings with AB de Villiers (398 in 14 matches) in the middle-order.
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Last match laaga maa best istam 💪#SRHvRCB #OrangeArmy #KeepRising #Dream11IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/P7RrnbhTF1
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 6, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Last match laaga maa best istam 💪#SRHvRCB #OrangeArmy #KeepRising #Dream11IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/P7RrnbhTF1
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 6, 2020Last match laaga maa best istam 💪#SRHvRCB #OrangeArmy #KeepRising #Dream11IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/P7RrnbhTF1
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 6, 2020
Chris Morris and Shivam Dube will need to escalate the run-rate with fireworks down the order. Pacer Navdeep Saini (6 wickets in 12 matches), who missed the last match due to a split webbing, will likely return in the big game.
Saini along with Mohammed Siraj (9 wickets in 8 matches), Isuru Udana (8 wickets in 10 matches) and all-rounder Morris (11 wickets in 9 matches) will have the responsibility to jolt the in-form SRH top-order.
Yuzvendra Chahal (20 from 14) will again be RCB's go-to man and would hope some quality support from Washington Sundar.
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Game Day: SRH v RCB: Playoffs Time
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 6, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Ready to step up to the occasion, are the Royal Challengers. First up, it’s the Sun Risers and the Eliminator in Abu Dhabi. #PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL #SRHvRCB pic.twitter.com/VDfa9am7pI
">Game Day: SRH v RCB: Playoffs Time
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 6, 2020
Ready to step up to the occasion, are the Royal Challengers. First up, it’s the Sun Risers and the Eliminator in Abu Dhabi. #PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL #SRHvRCB pic.twitter.com/VDfa9am7pIGame Day: SRH v RCB: Playoffs Time
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 6, 2020
Ready to step up to the occasion, are the Royal Challengers. First up, it’s the Sun Risers and the Eliminator in Abu Dhabi. #PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL #SRHvRCB pic.twitter.com/VDfa9am7pI
On the other hand, SRH would be high on confidence after their magnificent 10-wicket over Mumbai Indians in their last game.
The Warner-led side, however, should be aware of the fact that MI were without the services of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, who were rested in the game.
The SRH top-order, comprising Warner (529 in 14 matches) and Wriddhiman Saha (214 in 4 matches), has been the major reason behind their success.
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Unrelenting and uncompromising when it comes to putting in the hard work! 👊🏻#PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/RfI7SS1bbU
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 5, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Unrelenting and uncompromising when it comes to putting in the hard work! 👊🏻#PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/RfI7SS1bbU
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 5, 2020Unrelenting and uncompromising when it comes to putting in the hard work! 👊🏻#PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/RfI7SS1bbU
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 5, 2020
Manish Pandey (380 in 14 matches) and Kane Williamson (200 in 10 matches) will have the onus to strengthen the innings in the middle-order while Priyam Garg and all-rounder Jason Holder (31 runs, 10 wickets) should build on the momentum.
Of the total 17 matches so far between the two teams in the IPL, SRH have managed nine wins while RCB have seven with a game being abandoned.
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (captain), AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), Parthiv Patel (wicketkeeper), Aaron Finch, Josh Philippe (wicketkeeper), Chris Morris, Moeen Ali, Mohammed Siraj, Shahbaz Ahmed, Devdutt Padikkal, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini, Dale Steyn, Pawan Negi, Isuru Udana, Shivam Dube, Umesh Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Washington Sundar, Pavan Deshpande, Adam Zampa
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson, David Warner (Captain), Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Priyam Garg, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Virat Singh, Basil Thampi, Abhishek Sharma, Billy Stanlake, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shreevats Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, K Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Bavanaka Sandeep, Fabian Allen, Abdul Samad, Sanjay Yadav, Rashid Khan