Home games haven’t exactly been a luxury for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) this season. They’ve lost three of their five games at the Chinnaswamy, and were scheduled to play their final home fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) there. But much to their delight, a heavy rainfall warning in Bengaluru forced the Indian Premier League (IPL) management to shift the game to Lucknow instead.
The venue change has done RCB more than one favour. For starters, they won’t have to reckon with their Chinnaswamy curse again, at least not until next season. More importantly, they’ll now play both of their remaining fixtures at the same venue, sparing themselves a cross-country hop just for a single game. For a side aiming for a top-two finish, this change couldn’t have been more convenient.
RCB haven’t played a game since the league resumed after a week-long pause due to cross-border escalations. They also haven’t played in Lucknow this season, or even last season; their only match there came in 2023. Still, they’ll be backing themselves, not least because they’ve already survived the worst of their fixture list.
SRH, on the other hand, are already out of the playoff race. But they’ve shown some late-season spark. They pinned DC to the wall in a game that, much to their frustration, ended in a washout. Then came the bounce-back where thet managed a convincing win over LSG, in Lucknow no less. So while they can no longer qualify, they can still ruin RCB’s plans and give themselves a morale boost by ending their campaign on a high note. For a team whose season turned sour far too early, a little pride is still worth fighting for.
Team Overview:
RCB have received a piece of news that could not only lift their spirits but also strengthen their bowling attack: the potential return of Josh Hazlewood for the playoffs. They barely escaped defeat in their only game without him, against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which makes his comeback all the more crucial.
For now, though, they’ll have to manage without the Aussie pacer, and also without Devdutt Padikkal, whose hamstring injury has ruled him out for the rest of the tournament.
Stepping up in their absence have been a few unexpected names. Jacob Bethell, who replaced an unwell Phil Salt in the last game, smashed a 33-ball fifty and powered RCB to 71 runs in the powerplay. But it was Romario Shepherd who stole the spotlight. In his very first outing this season, he went full throttle against CSK, hammering a jaw-dropping 14-ball 53.
Lungi Ngidi, too, made an instant impact with a 3-wicket haul despite having spent the entire season warming the bench. It was a timely surprise for RCB, just not quite timely enough. Ngidi is set to leave the squad by May 26, and they might have caught a glimpse of his form a notch too late.
Travis Head only landed in India on the day of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) clash against LSG on Monday, which saw him sit out and be replaced by Atharva Taide. But come this game, the explosive Travishek duo, Head and Abhishek Sharma, is likely to be reunited. Sharma has been in searing form, as his last two innings have loudly testified. SRH may also welcome back Jaydev Unadkat, who missed the LSG game.
Head-to-Head Record:
Out of the 24 matches played between these two sides, SRH have had the upper hand, winning 13 of them.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Lucknow’s pitch has kept both batters and bowlers on their toes. It’s a shiny, somewhat slippery surface that gives early grip and bounce to the bowlers. But come evening, dew becomes the great leveller, tilting the balance in favour of the batters. A toss win here often translates to a bowl-first call.
Prediction:
Upsets tend to brew well at this stage of the league, especially with several teams playing solely for pride. But RCB, with playoff incentives on the line, will be looking to go all-in. A win here wouldn’t just be about points, it could be the cushion they need heading into the qualifiers.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
Afghanistan: ATN
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
MENA: Cricbuzz
