IPL 2017: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders, Game 46 – Match Result Predictions

If we trace back Royal Challengers Bangalore’s performance this season, the innings from where it all spiralled down for the RCB was against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The team was bundled out for just 49 within 10 overs registering the lowest total ever in the history of IPL. That performance against Knight Riders at Eden Gardens dented the psychology of the RCB team and could not never quite recover from it.

RCB since then could only manage a string of low scores and were out of the reckoning for the playoff spot a long while ago. However looking at the recent developments in the IPL, the Knight Riders would be desperate for the two points tomorrow as Rising Pune Supergiant has displaced both KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad to gain the second spot.

RCB would ideally want to play the role of party-poopers from here on and salvage some pride out of it. It is expected that RCB would end up last on the points table while Kolkata Knight Riders would aim for the second spot, following the team to beat this season- Mumbai Indians.

Here is what CricTracker predicts for the game:                   

Scenario 1: Royal Challenger Bangalore will win the toss

Toss Prediction: Royal Challenger Bangalore choose to bat

First innings prediction: 140-160

2nd innings Prediction:  Kolkata Knight Riders win by 7 wickets and 3 overs to spare

Scenario 2: Kolkata Knight Riders will win the toss

Toss Prediction: Kolkata Knight Riders choose to bowl

First innings Prediction: 140-160

2nd innings Prediction: Kolkata Knight Riders win by 7 wickets and 3 overs to spare

Head to Head Record

Overall: Total Matches –19, KKR Won – 10, RCB Won –9

Team Combination

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Nothing has quite worked for RCB this season majorly because they started off on a sour note with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers missing out, they were earlier dealt a blow when Mitchell Starc was ruled out, the team expected Tymal Mills to fill in for him but the English pacer has been a disappointment.

The team lacks balance while the bowling department has done well on occasions the batsmen have also got runs but that hasn’t come together with the sync in the squad completely missing and thus they have failed more often that not. They have a lot of options which they can tinker from but given this is their penultimate game a win will help them salvage some pride heading into the next season.

Mandeep Singh finally came good in the last game and they should open with him, Gayle! he has to get the runs to retain his place in the team for the coming season. The bowling line-up looks pretty much in shape with Yuzvendra Chahal and Aniket Choudhary picking wickets and steaming the flow of runs as well.

Predicted XI: 

Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli (C), Mandeep Singh, AB de Villiers, Travis Head, Kedar Jadhav (wk), Pawan Negi, Samuel Badree, S Aravind, Aniket Choudhary, Yuzvendra Chahal

Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to go all out with their tried and tested lineup. Barring any event of injury, KKR would want to continue with the lineup from their last match against Rising Pune Supergiant.

They would want the middle order to fire, with Gautam and Uthappa scoring the bulk of runs the likes of Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan are yet to join the party. Suryakumar Yadav should manage to retain his place ahead of Sheldon Jackson in the team given his fighting knock in the previous game.

Predicted XI:

Gautam Gambhir (C), Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa (wk), Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Suryakumar Yadav, Colin de Grandhomme, Chris Woakes, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Umesh Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav

Given the recent form of the Knight Riders, they clearly hold the upper hand. RCB go green tomorrow and skipper Virat Kohli will want to give the Bangalore crowd a win to thank them for all their support despite the team’s form.

Do let us know your predictions in the comment section below.