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IPL 2021, RCB vs PBKS Preview: Royal Challengers Bangalore Eye Playoff Spot, Punjab Kings Look To Stay Alive

Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings

On Sunday, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings face off in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season’s Match 48. The match will be held at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and both teams will be playing for pride. A win for RCB will help them seal a playoff berth, while a win for Punjab Kings will keep them in contention for the top four. Both sides are coming off of different victories heading into this encounter. In their previous game, RCB cruised through Rajasthan Royals, while PBKS edged out Kolkata Knight Riders in a nail-biter.

Source: IPL

RCB have found their form after a sluggish start in the UAE leg, with Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell shining with the bat. Harshal Patel, the current Purple Cap holder, leads the bowling attack, with spinner Yuzvendra Chahal also contributing significantly.

RCB had lost their first two matches in the UAE leg, but have now won two in a row to jump ahead of the competition in the playoff race.

Both victories came against formidable opponents in the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. Virat Kohli’s team improved their net run rate, which was once the worst in the league, thanks to the convincing victories.

Punjab Kings, like the other teams, are coming off a win. They won by five wickets against KKR, chasing down a difficult target with three balls to spare. PBKS is presently ranked fifth in the points standings with ten points, the same as three other teams (KKR, Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians).

A win will be critical for PBKS’ cause, but there is still a lot of work to be done. While KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have a habit of getting their teams off to a great start, PBKS’ middle-order hasn’t quite delivered.

Chris Gayle has withdrawn from the IPL 2021 season, while Nicholas Pooran has fallen short of expectations. Aiden Markram has shown flashes of brilliance. Shahrukh Khan of Tamil Nadu came to the team’s rescue against KKR with a stunning cameo, but Punjab will need more contributions from others if they are to progress further in the competition.

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