Royal Challengers Bengaluru have changed their colours in a trice, having pulled off three breathtaking victories on the bounce to turn the corner. Prior to that, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were going through a torrid time, recording defeat after defeat and failing to get any form going. But, the return to form for skipper Faf du Plessis has served as a big boost for Challengers. Not only du Plessies, their top order ,comprising Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Will Jacks, has been smoking runs.

At the start of their campaign, RCB were in free fall, with top-notch players failing over and again to deliver, yet Virat Kohli consistently churned out runs, but that wasn’t enough to save them from big defeats. Now, RCB, riding on the back of a formidable three-match winning streak, displaying a resurgence in form at a crucial juncture of the tournament, will clash with Punjab Kings on Thursday at HPCA Stadium. 

In contrast, Punjab Kings find themselves in a precarious position, having won only four games out of their last eleven encounters. Despite possessing a talented squad comprising explosive batsmen and skillful bowlers, PBKS have struggled to find consistency throughout the tournament. However, they recorded an outstanding victory against KKR, chasing down a mammoth total of 262 to complete the highest chase in T20s. 

Meanwhile, this battle is a must-win for both teams to get closer to playoffs. A loss for either team will drag them closer to the elimination. For RCB, a victory would consolidate their position in the top half of the table and bolster their confidence. Similarly, PBKS will be desperate to break their slump and rejuvenate their playoff aspirations with a much-needed win.

Head to Head

Matches - 32

PBKS Won - 17

RCB Won - 15

RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Will Jacks, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Dayal (Imp - Rajat Patidar)

PBKS Probable XI: Prabhsimran Singh, Jonny Bairstow, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ashutosh Sharma, Sam Curran (c), Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar (Imp - Arshdeep Singh)