With Gautam Gambhir's Lucknow Super Giants (LGS) becoming the third team to enter the business end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, all eyes are on Royal Challengers Bangalore as the Virat Kohli-starrer side is fighting with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the fourth and final playoff spot on Sunday. Either MI or RCB can make it to the IPL 2023 playoffs while RR have an outside chance of entering the knockout stage of the elite tournament this season.
Thanks to their superior Net Run Rate (NRR), the fourth-placed RCB side can enter the playoffs even if Mumbai and Bangalore remain level on 16 points. Rohit's MI side will have to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by a bigger margin than 79 runs to remain in the playoff stage. Faf du Plessis' RCB also have the advantage of playing their last league game after MI's match against SRH on Sunday. If RCB end up securing the fourth spot on Sunday, Bangalore will resume its heated rivalry with Lucknow in the IPL 2023 playoffs.
Tempers flared following LSG's home game against RCB in the IPL 2023 as Kohli and Gambhir had to be separated at the end of the low-scoring encounter. Anticipating a potential blockbuster meeting between RCB and LSG in the Eliminator, legendary Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh recalled Kohli's verbal spat with Gambhir in the IPL 2023. "If Kohli and Gambhir again face each other, I hope they do not clash again. I am only concerned about it," India Today quoted Harbhajan Singh as saying on Star Sports before RCB and MI's final league games of the IPL 2023.
{{/usCountry}}Tempers flared following LSG's home game against RCB in the IPL 2023 as Kohli and Gambhir had to be separated at the end of the low-scoring encounter. Anticipating a potential blockbuster meeting between RCB and LSG in the Eliminator, legendary Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh recalled Kohli's verbal spat with Gambhir in the IPL 2023. "If Kohli and Gambhir again face each other, I hope they do not clash again. I am only concerned about it," India Today quoted Harbhajan Singh as saying on Star Sports before RCB and MI's final league games of the IPL 2023.
{{/usCountry}}Kohli had an on-field altercation with LSG mentor Gambhir after RCB outclassed the hosts in the IPL 2023 on May 1. Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100% of their match fees in the aftermath of the ugly face-off at Lucknow. Sharing his views in the lead-up to MI's final league game against SRH, former Mumbai Indians skipper Harbhajan also claimed that Rohit Sharma and Co. ‘will be unstoppable’ if the Men In Blue finish ahead of RCB in the IPL 2023 standings.
"If MI move forward, it will be unstoppable. After going to the playoffs, MI's chances of winning the trophy will increase significantly. Mumbai have the best batting. If their bowling gets slightly better, then no one is better than MI. Nothing can be better than this if MI and CSK make it to the finals this season," Harbhajan added. KL Rahul-less LSG side can meet either RCB, MI or RR in the IPL 2023 Eliminator at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.