IPL 2023 Predictions: KKR vs RCB

The M.Chinnaswamy Stadium will host match 36 of the 2023 IPL season between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday, April 26.

This is a balanced surface with a typical score of 135, and out of the 16 matches played here, nine have been won by teams bowling first, while six have been won by teams batting first.

Therefore, the smart move after winning the toss would be to opt for bowling.

RCB is currently in fifth place in the points standings after winning four out of their first seven games this season.

In their previous encounter against Rajasthan Royals, they secured a seven-run victory. In contrast, the Knight Riders have won only two out of their last seven games and are currently placed eighth in the standings.

They suffered a loss in their previous match against Chennai Super Kings as they failed to chase down a target of 236 runs.

In the 32 matches played between RCB and KKR, RCB has won 14 matches, while KKR has won 18.

Faf du Plessis is in excellent form and has scored the most runs in the IPL 2023 so far.

In his last outing, he scored 84 runs against Punjab Kings and has already hit 23 sixes this season. With a strike rate of 166.50 and an average of 68.60 runs from six games, the 38-year-old batsman is expected to perform well.

Virat Kohli is currently third on the list of top run-scorers in the IPL 2023.

With 279 runs from six games, Kohli has a 55.80 average and a 142.35 strike rate. He has previously scored four fifty-plus runs and is expected to be a key player for RCB.

RCB’s batting attack, consisting of Kohli, du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell, is one of the best in the competition as all have batted well and have an average of over 40 runs every time they come out to bat.

Mohammed Siraj is the leading wicket-taker for RCB with 13 wickets in the previous seven matches.

He has the ability to pick wickets in powerplay overs, which has been the main reason for RCB’s recent victories.

David Willey and Wanindu Hasaranga have also been performing well, adding depth to the RCB bowling lineup.

Varun Chakravarthy has taken nine wickets in six games for KKR and has been their leading wicket-taker this season. At Eden Gardens this year, he has five wickets with an average of 18.11.

Rinku Singh has been one of the most impressive batters in the 2023 IPL tournament, averaging 58.25 runs from seven matches.

He has scored two fifties and has remained unbeaten on three occasions.

RCB’s predicted playing XI includes Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli (C), Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, David Willey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammed Siraj, and Vyshak Vijaykumar.

On the other hand, KKR’s predicted playing XI includes Jason Roy, Narayan Jagadeesan, Nitish Rana (C), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Suyash Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy.

KKR has struggled on the batting front and has lacked cohesion throughout the tournament. They are uncertain about their best opening pair, and their bowling attack.

In terms of the head-to-head record between the two teams, KKR has had the upper hand, winning 18 out of the 32 matches played between the two sides.

Overall, it promises to be an exciting encounter between two teams looking to make a push for the playoffs.

With the match being played at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB will have the home advantage, and they will be looking to capitalize on that to secure another win and move up the points table.