Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Ekana Stadium on Friday as opposed to their home ground M Chinnaswamy Stadium. For the uninitiated, this is because of the inclement weather in Bengaluru due to the onset of monsoon. RCB had their last home encounter against KKR washed out on May 17 which knocked out the defending champions.
“The Match No. 65 between () and () has been relocated to the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in , due to unfavourable weather conditions in Bengaluru” The league had said in the statement on Tuesday.
RCB will aim to secure a top-two league stage finish for the first time in nine years when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad. RCB haven’t finished inside the top two since the 2016 season when they signed off as runners-up eventually.
However, currently second on the table with 17 points from 12 games, victories in their remaining two matches could potentially lock a top-two spot.
RCB was in red-hot form prior to the league’s disruption due to the India-Pakistan military conflict and the side had strung together four consecutive wins. But the momentum was halted by a washout in their first game after resumption. Following a 20-day break, it will be interesting to see whether they retain their rhythm and competitive edge.
Chasing an elusive IPL crown, RCB have managed one of their most consistent campaigns in recent memory.
The ever-reliable has been in imperious form, scoring seven fifties in 11 innings and anchoring the top order with characteristic elegance. Skipper Rajat Patidar, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd have complemented him well with timely bursts of power hitting.
Last year’s finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad, are coming off a convincing six-wicket win over and will be eager to carry that momentum and finish this forgettable season on a high.
(With agency inputs)
