IPL 2019: Kings XI Punjab hope to regain winning momentum vs out-of-sorts RCB

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  • Gayle (r) will be itching to bounce back. Image - BCCI/SPORTZPICS.

    The momentum is starting to slip for Kings XI Punjab as they get ready to play host to Royal Challengers Bangalore at Mohali in a 2019 Indian Premier League clash on Saturday.

    Ravi Ashwin and his men came flying out off the blocks in the early stages of the tournament but that outstanding form is starting to dissipate in recent matches.

    WHEELS COMING OFF FOR KXIP

    Two defeats have come in the last three matches for KXIP with the latest of them coming at home to Mumbai Indians where the visitors smashed the required 15 runs off the final over to scale the target of 198 with the last delivery of the match.

    It was the second poor bowling display from Ashwin’s men in their 2019 campaign with the other coming against Kolkata Knight Riders where they conceded 218 runs. The bowling unit has been the biggest letdown this season with the batting looking formidable.

    Openers KL Rahul and Chris Gayle have rediscovered the form that made them such a fearsome proposition in the 2018 edition with both batsmen looking extremely good in the last-gasp loss to Mumbai.

    Rahul now has three half-centuries and one ton in his last five appearances while Gayle’s 36-ball 63 against Mumbai was his second fifty of the campaign. With Sarfaraz Khan and Mandeep Singh also looking the part in the middle-order, it is the batting card which has seen Punjab win four of their seven games so far.

    While their bowling might remain a worry, the batting will hope to impose further misery on a struggling RCB side which is yet to open its account in the 2019 edition after six straight defeats.

    RCB’S PERENNIAL MISERY CONTINUES

    Everything that can go wrong for Virat Kohli and men has gone wrong with the franchise’s wait for a maiden IPL title set to continue for another year at least.

    There are concerns across every department in the RCB side with neither the batting or the bowling clicking so far. With the ball, only leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been able to hold his head high with nine wickets so far but the rest of the bowlers have disappointed big time with no total being too high to chase for the opposition.

    With the bat, the star-studded cast has failed to come to the party with South African ace AB de Villiers and England all-rounder Moeen Ali failing to justify their reputations. Only skipper Kohli has been a consistent figure in the batting department with the others buckling under the pressure.

    De Villiers has managed to register two half-centuries so far in the campaign but Mr. 360 has barely done anything of note in his other appearances as frustrations continues to climb for RCB fans.

    TEAM NEWS

    KXIP fans will nervously be waiting on news regarding Gayle’s availability for the clash following his excellent knock against Mumbai. The team management had stated after the game that the West Indies opener felt a slight twitch in his back and that his fitness needed to be monitored.

    Meanwhile, Mayank Agarwal could be set to return after missing out on the Mumbai clash due to a hand injury.

    On the other hand, RCB have signed South African pacer Dale Steyn as a replacement for the injured Nathan Coulter-Nile but the veteran will only be available from April 16 onwards.

    LIKELY XIs

    Kings XI Punjab: Chris Gayle, KL Rahul (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller, Mayank Agarwal, Mandeep Singh, Sam Curran, Ravi Ashwin (c), Hardus Viljoen, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Mohammed Shami.

    Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (c), Parthiv Patel (wk), AB de Villiers, Marcus Stoinis, Moeen Ali, Akshdeep Nath, Pawan Negi, Tim Southee, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini.

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