Fresh from recording their first win of the new season, Faf du Plessis' Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will host bitter-rivals Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their next Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 fixture on Friday. With batting icon Virat Kohli serving a timely reminder of his T20I prowess in the World Cup year, hosts RCB will be eager to add more steam to their title bid this season.
Bengaluru are up against the Knight Riders, who outclassed 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their tournament opener at the Eden Gardens. Courtesy of power-hitter Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer's KKR edged past Hyderabad to earn their first points of the 2024 edition. It was the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium where Brendon McCullum first played Bazball by smashing an unbeaten 158 for KKR against RCB.
Can Russellmania run wild?
KKR can expect McCullum-like fireworks from an on-song Russell, who has already lit up the IPL 2024 with his quick-fire knock against SRH. Batting at a strike rate of 256, the KKR batter smoked seven sixes and three fours in his entertaining knock. The West Indies superstar remained unbeaten on 64 off 25 balls as KKR posted a match-winning total of 208-7 in 20 overs. The KKR star has amassed 276 runs in the death overs of the T20 format.
Siraj to do heavy lifting vs KKR
{{/usCountry}}KKR can expect McCullum-like fireworks from an on-song Russell, who has already lit up the IPL 2024 with his quick-fire knock against SRH. Batting at a strike rate of 256, the KKR batter smoked seven sixes and three fours in his entertaining knock. The West Indies superstar remained unbeaten on 64 off 25 balls as KKR posted a match-winning total of 208-7 in 20 overs. The KKR star has amassed 276 runs in the death overs of the T20 format.
Siraj to do heavy lifting vs KKR
{{/usCountry}}Russell also has a strike rate of 287.50 in the 2024 season. RCB's Mohammed Siraj has outsmarted Russell twice, with the KKR batter getting 22 runs off the India pacer. Siraj has also troubled KKR skipper Iyer as the premier batter has scored only 32 runs in 31 balls against the RCB pacer. However, Siraj has an awful record against Rinku Singh, who has smashed 22 runs off the pacer in nine balls. Rinku is also unbeaten against Siraj.
Virat Kohli vs Sunil Narine
Talking about RCB's top order, Du Plessis and Co. have failed to fire against KKR's Sunil Narine. The RCB skipper has only 54 runs against 70 balls. Kohli has scored 141 off 145 balls while Maxwell has 94 runs under his belt against Narine. Kohli has been dismissed four times by Narine. The former RCB skipper has also remained somewhat quiet against Varun Chakaravarthy. The in-form RCB batter has 31 runs off 33 balls against the KKR spinner.
RCB vs KKR: Check head-to-head record
RCB have recorded 14 wins over KKR in the cash-rich league. Kolkata registered a famous double over Bengaluru in the IPL 2023. The two-time winners posted gigantic totals against RCB on both occasions last season. KKR have 18 wins over RCB in the world's richest T20 league.