Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore | Date & Time: 29 May at 1830 hr (GST)
BIG PICTURE
It seems as though anything the Royal Challengers can do, the Sunrisers can do just as well. AB de Villiers put on a fighting 79 off 47 balls in the first qualifier with his team on the ropes. David Warner carried his bat for 93 from 58 deliveries. Both innings were instrumental in helping their respective teams make the 2016 IPL final to be played in Bangalore.
It is a game that ensures a first-time winner of the tournament will be crowned at the end of proceedings on Sunday evening. The Sunrisers are relatively new to this business in that regard – this is their fourth season as a franchise and their first-ever final. The Royal Challengers, by contrast, have endured previous heartbreak to get here. It is their third IPL final after 2009 and 2011, and it represents perhaps their best chance of winning the title that has eluded them for long.
With a power packed batting line-up and an array of stars, the Royal Challengers have not been short on dazzling play with a sprinkling of stardust in previous editions, but have been found wanting when the crunch comes. But this time, in a final in their home stadium, with De Villiers and captain Virat Kohli in truly otherworldly form, and four extra days of preparation time, it must feel like the moment is theirs. Not even a horrendous top order batting collapse against the Gujarat Lions could prevent De Villiers from steering the side home. The Royal Challengers must feel the stars are aligning.
The Sunrisers may actually fancy being backed into a corner here. Although both their batting and bowling has looked good, the final demands them to produce that extra 10% against a fearsome Royal Challengers side. Having the deck stacked in favour of their opponents might coax it out of the Sunrisers for that crucial psychological edge. A sense of calm will be essential to winning the final here.
KEY BATTLES
Bangalore top order vs Hyderabad seamers: A lot depends on the Sunrisers’ bowling if they are to win the final – perhaps even more so than their batting. As Dhawal Kulkarni proved in the first qualifier, dismissing that famed Royal Challengers top order cheaply is not impossible. However, should the Sunrisers put their opponents squarely on the back foot, there is no room for complacency. The pacers will hold the key to finishing the home side off in such a situation.
Sunrisers middle order vs Bangalore bowling: David Warner produced another important performance in a clutch game against the Lions. Naturally, much of the attention will be directed his way, but for the Sunrisers to mount a serious challenge, whether batting first or chasing, the support for the Australian opener will be crucial. He cannot do it all by himself, and this would be the perfect time for the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Ben Cutting to step up and deliver.
WATCH OUT FOR
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Now the Purple Cap holder with 23 wickets, so much depends on the Indian paceman for the Sunrisers to have a shot at winning this final. Question marks over Mustafizur Rahman’s fitness remain, while the left-arm seamer’s replacement Trent Boult may be rusty himself. This means that a greater burden than usual falls on Bhuvneshwar, and waging a one-man war against Kohli, de Villiers, Chris Gayle and Shane Watson is a tremendous challenge that could be key to deciding the winner. It promises to be a spellbinding contest.
EXPECTED XIs
The Royal Challengers can be expected stick with their winning combination with the hope, or perhaps even expectation, that they will deliver one final time to bring the crown home. Even the bowling looks to have some consistency and bears a settled look.
Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, Lokesh Rahul (wk), Sachin Baby, Stuart Binny, Chris Jordan, Sreenath Aravind, Iqbal Abudlla, Yuzvendra Chahal
The Sunrisers’ team would also look largely the same. Should Mustafizur be fit to play, however, he would be expected to slot straight back in, replacing Trent Boult. In Mustafizur’s absence, the Kiwi will keep his place.
David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, Moises Henriques, Yuvraj Singh, Deepak Hooda, Ben Cutting, Naman Ojha (wk), Bipul Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Trent Boult/Mustafizur Rahman, Barinder Sran
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