The action in the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League will get fierce as the table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) take on Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 43rd match of the season on 30th April at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
Gujarat Titans have embarked on their IPL journey in style as they claimed 7 wins from 8 games. The team has got one of the most balanced sides in the tournament with the superb fast-bowling contingent.
The pace trio of Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson and Yash Dayal have dismantled the opposition with their brilliant bowling skills. In contrast, with the bat, Hardik Pandya, David Miller, and Rahul Tewatia have stepped up on many occasions to take their side past the finish line.
They are heading into this game on the back of a 5-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad, and with 14 points in their account, they are currently occupying the top spot on the points table. If they manage to eke out a win here, they will virtually qualify for play-offs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, on the other hand, after a terrific start to their campaign, went through a couple of hiccups. Virat Kohli's rough form with the bat has been one of the reasons behind their despicable performances. Faf du Plessis looked inconsistent as well, while their middle order hasn't fired much in the last few games.
Their bowling, however, has been exceptionally good this season, with Josh Hazlewood, Harshal Patel, and Wanindu Hasaranga bowling well in almost every game. Mohammed Siraj, however, has looked off-colour this season and needs to bounce back strongly as the competition is heating up. With some of the best T20 players taking on the field, another cracking game beckons in Mumbai on Saturday.
Match Details
Match: Gujarat Titans vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Match 43
Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Date & Time: 30th April at 3:30 PM IST & Local Time
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network and Disney+Hotstar
Pitch Report
With an afternoon start, the conditions in Mumbai will be pretty hot for both sides as they have played their last few games in the evenings. The last game played at this venue saw RCB bundling out for the score of 68. However, that doesn't reflect the actual behaviour of the pitch. This venue has got smaller boundaries and one can expect a run-fest. Toss will not play a major role here, however going with the trend, both the captains will be willing to bowl first.
Pitch Stats [Last 5 Matches]
Matches Played: 5
Matches Won Batting First: 2
Matches Won Bowling First: 3
Average 1st Inning Score: 155
Average 2nd Inning Score: 152
Key Matchups
Kohli vs Shami 62/4 at 135 SR
Kohli vs Rashid: 21/1 at 87 SR
Dinesh vs Rashid: 29/2 at 111 SR
Du Plessis vs Rashid: 22/2 at 65 SR
Dinesh vs Shami: 52/2 at 157 SR
Gill vs Harshal: 12/1 at 109 SR
Hardik vs Harshal: 6/2 at 86 SR
Du Plessis vs Shami: 82/2 at 174 SR
Injury Update/Players' Availability
Both the teams are likely to go with an unchanged playing eleven on Saturday.
Hardik Pandya (C), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill, Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami, Pradeep Sangwan, Matthew Wade, Varun Aaron, Jayant Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Darshan Nalkande, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Dominic Drakes, Sai Sudharsan, Noor Ahmad.
Faf du Plessis (C), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Suyash Prabhudessai, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj, Jason Behrendorff, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Siddarth Kaul, Karn Sharma, David Willey, Chama V Milind, Rajat Patidar, Akash Deep, Aneeshwar Gautam.
Probable Playing XI
Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya (c), Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami.
Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Rajat Patidar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj.
CREX XI Suggestion
Wicket-Keeper: Dinesh Karthik
Batters: Shubman Gill, Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Virat Kohli
All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya, Glenn Maxwell
Bowlers: Alzarri Joseph, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj
Captain: Hardik Pandya
Vice-Captain: Glenn Maxwell