In the last season, the ex-players of both the teams played crucial role and both the teams won a match each. Kallis and Gayle were Player of the Match when their teams won. In the current season, Royal Challengers Bangalore is playing as a unit, while Kolkata Knight Riders is still looking for the answers of questions they faced in 2013 edition. With Gambhir’s batting and captaincy under question, it is advantage RCB for now, with or without Gayle.
2014 Performances
RCB is placed at third position with 2 wins, while KKR at 4th position with a win and a loss. Both have played the same opponents so far. Both defeated Mumbai Indians. But against Delhi Daredevils, KKR failed.
Batting first in both the matches KKR has scored 163/5 and 166/5. While their bowlers led by Narine and Morkel could entangle Mumbai Indians and won by 41 runs, they fared poorly against the weak Delhi Daredevils and lost by 4 wickets.
Chasing the low scores in both the matches, RCB has seen exceptional performances in both the matches from their bowling. In first match they restricted Delhi only to 145/4 which their batsmen chased with plenty to spare and won by 8 wickets, while in the second match they did not let Mumbai Indians score reach beyond 115/9 and again their batsmen chased it with ease winning by 7 wickets.
History
They have played each other 13 times in 6 seasons which included the biggest IPL victory of any team by runs. In group matches, 2008 and 2012 saw KKR winning both the matches, while 2009 and 2011 belonged to RCB when they won both matches. 2010 saw them sharing a match each. Both have won 5 games each in IPL. KKR has also defeated RCB in CLT20, edging past them on Head to Head count.
Head-to-Head: KKR 7-5 RCB
2008
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KKR def RCB by 140 Runs
KKR def RCB by 5 Runs
2009
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RCB def KKR by 5 Wickets
RCB def KKR by 6 Wickets
2010
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KKR def RCB by 7 Wickets
RCB def KKR by 7 Wickets
2011
- KKR def RCB by 9 wkts in CLT20 Group Match, MOM: Kallis
2012
- KKR def RCB by 42 runs, MOM: Balaji
KKR def RCB by 47 runs, MOM: Gambhir
RCB def KKR by 8 wkts, MOM: Gayle
KKR won by 5 wkts, MOM: Kallis
2008 Performance
RCB finished second from the bottom winning 4 matches and Lost 10. KKR failed to impress despite 6 Wins, 7 Losses and one no result.
2009 Performance
In 2009, RCB finished 2nd best registering 9 wins and 7 losses. KKR finished at the bottom with just 3 wins, 10 losses and one abandoned match.
2010 Performance
In 2010, RCB finished 3rd winning 8 and losing 8 games, while KKR had a better season with 7 Wins 7 Losses, still failed to break into knockout stage.
2011 Performance
RCB reached the final, while KKR entered their maiden semifinal, finishing 4th. RCB topped the group with 9 wins, 4 losses and an abandoned match. KKR won 8 and lost 6 at group stage. RCB lost 2 of the 3 knockout matches, including the final. KKR lost the only match played in eliminator.
2012 Performance
RCB could not reach knockout, as CSK edged it on better NRR, while KKR went on to win their maiden tournament.
2013 Performance
Both could not make the semifinal, with RCB finishing 5th again despite 9 wins, 7 losses, while KKR had a forgettable season with 6 wins and 10 losses.
Overall Performance
RCB has won 50 and lost 45. With 43 Wins, 48 Losses, 3 No Result KKR has one of the worst record among the IPL teams. KKR is certain to be the first team to score half-century of defeats in IPL.
Who Will Win Today!!
Bangalore provides high scoring results. RCB started the team as a team dependent heavily on four destructive batsmen of T20 world, but it is their bowling that has surprised all, and probably them too.
Kallis has played earlier for RCB, while Gayle earlier played for KKR. Both were player of the matches once each in the last season as both teams won one match each. Considering the strong bowling success of RCB in the last two matches, Kallis again holds a key position in the match.
Kohli on the other hand has not much of a concern at present even if Gayle does not play the third consecutive match. His bowlers are performing as a unit unlike KKR which has only Narine (in both matches) and Morkel (in first match) as successful.
Even in batting, for KKR Manish Pandey is the only successful batsman so far for KKR with two good knocks. Gambhir may fail again as Starc, Morkel, Aaron, and Dinda are appearing in control. Except Kallis, others may find them difficult to score 150+. Inclusion of Doeschate may improve their chances.
Narine alone cannot take care of Kohli, Yuvraj and AB de Villiers. Unless he gets some help RCB batsmen can easily have run riot.
Overall, however positive one thinks of current form of KKR, RCB appears set to register third consecutive victory.
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