Two giants of world cricket, will face off against each other probably the last time as Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings in a bid to strengthen their playoff hopes. Super Kings outdid Mumbai Indians in their last game to start their UAE leg with a win. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers suffered one of their heaviest defeats against Kolkata Knight Riders. While overall Super Kings have won 17 out of 27 matches in this contest, the recent record is more even, with Royal Challengers winning two of their last five matches (since IPL 2018).
Unlike Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, Sharjah is a small ground and RCB who have a top heavy middle order will prefer chasing to get their campaign back on track. The Super Kings weren't too impressive with the bat either, but it was Ruturaj Gaikwad's 88 that helped them pose a competitive total on the board. The return of Sam Curran is set to bolster CSK's cause against RCB on Friday, though the franchise would hope for a few other players to hit form once again too. For the Royal Challengers, the performance of skipper Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell will be key. CSK would be eyeing the No. 1 spot in the points table, while RCB have huge amends to make. The return of Sam Curran is set to bolster CSK's cause while for RCB it will be Kohli's show with the bat that will decide their fate in this all important clash.
