PBKS look to halt RCB's passage to playoffs

IPL's league phase is akin to a 10,000 metre race where teams pace themselves for the final sprint. With RCB having just two games left in the league phase, the franchise would look to sprint away from the mid-table muddle and qualify for the playoffs. A win against their next opponent - Punjab Kings - would help them inch closer to their immediate goal of qualifying for the next phase of the tournament. RCB would go into the game on the back of morale-boosting wins against southern neighbours - Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

RCB's top order has come under fierce glare through the course of the league phase. Even though Faf du Plessis and Rajat Patidar seem to have allayed those concerns in the last few games. In fact, du Plessis has had a curious tournament - three fifty-plus scores, juxtaposed by five single-digit scores. Virat Kohli's form though continues to be in a tailspin, having aggregated only 216 runs at a strike rate of 111.34. Some of the tracks have offered movement this season and that has been one of the reasons for RCB's top order woes, especially early on in the season. Lower down the order, after a few quiet games, Dinesh Karthik again found his mojo against CSK and SRH. RCB also have a formidable lower-middle-order.

The bowling seems to be in good hands. Josh Hazlewood has intertwined hard lengths with some bowling smarts to pick 13 wickets. The tall seamer has been