PBKS vs RCB Highlights: KL Rahul, Harpreet Brar star in Punjab Kings' 34-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore

Washington Sundar has been given enough chances in this IPL, but the player is yet to show any improvement with the bat. From six games, Sundar batted in four innings but could stand only for 47 balls from those 4 outings. Sundar has batted with the SR of 65.95 in this IPL – lowest among 55 batsmen who have faced 30-plus balls in 2021.

Chris Gayle is 6 catches away from completing 100 catches across T20s.

Moises Henriques is 1 catch away from completing 100 catches across T20s.

Riley Meredith is 1 wicket away from completing 50 wickets across T20s.

Virat Kohli is 106 runs away from completing 10,000 runs across T20s.

Glenn Maxwell is 103 runs away from completing 7,000 runs across T20s.

Mohammed Siraj is 4 wickets away from completing 100 wickets across T20s

RCB pacer Mohammed Siraj is five wickets away from competing 50 IPL wickets. He started his IPL career in 2017 playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he picked up 10 wickets from six games. The next season, in 2018, Siraj joined RCB and has since picked up 35 wickets from as many matches.

Three half-centuries for the PBKS skipper so far. Can he go on to make a big one tonight? Punjab Kings would surely be hoping for it.

It was in January early this year that 27-year-old Mohammed Azharuddeen smashes the second-fastest century in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, off 37 balls. And yet surprisingly, he fails to find a spot in RCB's Playing XI. Against PBKS, Azharuddeen could be a strong contender to make it to RCB's XI in place of Rajat Patidar, although he may bat a bit lower, which allows the likes of de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell to face some more balls.

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami is 4 wickets away from completing 50 wickets in IPL for Punjab Kings. Having joined the franchise in 2019, Shami picked up 19 wickets that season and followed it with 20 the previous year to go with seven strikes already in 2021. He has played 34 matches for the franchise.

Last IPL, KL Rahul sizzled with a brilliant century against RCB, during which Kohli dropped his India teammates not once, but twice in two overs. This led to a banter between the two players during a Facebook Live session. A season later, both captains find themselves at the opposite end of the tunnel. While Kohli has scored one fifty this season, Rahul has three. Who will win tonight's battle of the two captains?

There were plenty of uncertainties regarding Mohammed Shami's match form and fitness ahead of IPL 2021, and rightly so given how he hadn't played competitive cricket since December of last year. However, the Punjab Kings pacer has shown tremendous form and fitness. He has taken seven wickets at an average of 24.14 and economy of 7.68. He has been phenomenal for PBKS in the death overs, with an economy of 9.25 and strike rate of 8 between overs 17 to 20.

For a man who hasn't played any form of competitive cricket, AB de Villiers's scores in IPL 2021 read: 48, 1, 76*, 4 and 75. Guess that's why they call him a freak. And this is when he mostly bats at No. 4 for RCB. De Villiers' stunning form early in the season could be a sign of bigger and greater things to come for RCB, who are looking good to capture their maiden IPL title.

Barring a score of 69, Mayank Agarwal's form has been a bit of a worry for Punjab Kings. He has gotten starts in the last three games, as scores of 22, 25 and 31 suggest, but he hasn't been able to carry on from there, leaving Rahul and Chris Gayle with too much to do. Mayank coming good can allow Rahul and Gayle to work their game without much pressure, but RCB will make sure they try and keep the opening batsmen quiet.

This year, RCB have gotten off to their best start in the history of the IPL. They began the season on a triumphant note winning four matches in a row before Chennai Super Kings ended their winning streak. The blip however did not break RCB's momentum, as Kohli's team returned to win the next two matches. On the other hand PBKS' campaign couldn't have been more different. They won their opening match before losing three on the trot. A win and a loss followed against Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively as Rahul's team continues to look for answers.

Dear readers, a warm hello and welcome to the live coverage of the IPL 2021 Match No. 26 which pits Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore against Punjab Kings, led by KL Rahul. On current form, this is a mismatch of sorts, with RCB showing red-hot form to be placed second on the points-table, a stark contrast to their oppositions for Thursday. PBKS are once again struggling for form early in the tournament and with two wins from six games are placed sixth. The battle between Kohli and Rahul will be on tonight. Can PBKS conjure something special or will the RCB juggernaut continue? Let's find out.