Deep-backward square and wide third are out. Big side is on the LHB’s leg side. Slip in.
3:27pm: Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya walk out. Bhuvi will take the ball. Graeme Swann, on comms, says it was hot and sweaty out.
Cricfan : “RCB’s Achilles heel is that they have only 6 bowling options even after taking impact player. That just rules them out in low scoring matches where every bowler has to weigh in on the day ” There is a back-up with six options, isn’t there?
Prasanna : “How does temp look? Seems little colder as compared to other venues.” Looks sunny, 33 degrees is the figure Google puts out
Sami: “Would’ve gone Bethell for Livi tbh”
Hus Silverado: “baffling selection from RCB today…they needed a proper batter to replace Livingstone and they get Shepherd..and more importantly can’t understand why Padikkal was dropped in the fist place !!!” Padikkal will likely come in as the impact player in the chase
PBKS Impact Player options: Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Pravin Dubey, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge
PBKS XI: 1 Prabhsimran Singh, 2 Priyansh Arya, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Marcus Stoinis,, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
RCB Impact Player options: Devdutt Padikkal, Rasikh Dar, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh
RCB XI: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rajat Patidar(capt), 4 Romario Shephard, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Tim David, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Josh Hazlewood, 10 Yash Dayal, 11 Suyash Sharma
Shreyas says they, too, would have batted for the same reason but says need they to adapt. About the quick turnaround, he says they need to give themselves time. See how the ball’s behaving. They haven’t played a day game yet too. Says the support from the crowd last game was outstanding. Same team
Patidar says it looks a decent wicket and won’t change much. Batting second will give them more clarity. He says they’re not looking at venues, just want to play well. Romario Shepherd replaces Liam Livingstone
3pm: Shreyas Iyer will spin the coin, heads is the call. It’s a head. Rajat Patidar says RCB will bowl first
Pitch: From the North end, the rhb’s leg side is bigger – 60 to 73 metres. Square on the off side, the third and point boundaries are 60 and 63 metres respectively. Down the ground, it’s 76 metres. We’re playing on wicket no. 1, it was used in the PBKS vs CSK game where 420 runs were scored. The wicket has a few cracks but there is grass to bind it. Varun Aaron says he’d bat first if he was the captain.
2:40pm: Some of the players are out practicing, Marco Jansen has bat in hand. Maybe he’ll get a bat today. Glenn Maxwell was out for the last game, will he return or will Stoinis continue? RCB are likely to bring back Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3, will there be other surprises though? And how will the pitch play? Lest we forget, PBKS were all out for 110 and defended it by 15 runs in their last game here.
samir D: “When teams clash again within 48 hours in the IPL, it’s less a cricket match and more a rapid-fire chess rematch. Expect plenty of déjà vu with a twist — bowlers will sharpen their plans, batters will pre-empt the traps, and captains will be second-guessing themselves and each other. Momentum from the first game matters, but so does who blinks first with their tactics. It’s like watching a movie sequel… but with better plot twists (and hopefully fewer dropped catches). “
Mustafa Moudi: “Really happy about Tim David Winning the Player of the Match award despite being from the losing side. The Player of the Match Award must be given to the player for an outstanding performance irrespective of results !!”
Match preview by Shashank Kishore: No respite for teams as PBKS and RCB brace for second bout in 48 hours
2:30pm: A little over 36 hours and Punjab Kings will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru again. The turnaround time is seldom this short, players’ fitness will be tested. PBKS have won two close games and now have a chance of making it to the top of the table, RCB on the other hand have one fewer win but have won all their away games so far this season. Lots riding on it, hopefully it’s a good game.
