June 3, IPL: This will be RCB and Kohli’s fourth final. Thousands of fans can be seen wearing the number 18 jersey to support Kohli in the final match at the Narendra Modi Stadium. RCB have put their past problems behind them and have performed well from start to finish this time. They defeated Punjab by eight wickets in the first qualifier to enter the final and their team will be determined to repeat their performance. Kohli (614 runs) has performed well this time too. He was the main pillar of RCB’s batting this year as well. This time he also got good support from other players which made the main difference.
RCB’s Strong Squad Supports Kohli
This year, Kohli has not been the only player in the limelight, but he has quietly worked to strengthen RCB. Phil Salt provided good support to the Indian superstar to give RCB a good start, while Mayank Agarwal, captain Rajat Patidar, and Jitesh Sharma are reliable players in the batting order. Tim David missed RCB’s last two matches due to injury. He has played an important role in Death Overs along with Romario Shepherd. Calm and patient Josh Hazlewood (21 wickets) has contributed significantly for RCB. He is currently fourth in the list of bowlers who have taken the most wickets in the current season of IPL.
Punjab Kings’ Road to the Final
Despite a crushing loss to RCB in the first qualifier at their home ground in Mullanpur, the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings team put up a brilliant performance against Mumbai Indians in the second qualifier. They entered the final for the first time in 11 years, defeating five-time champions Mumbai Indians. Punjab Kings, who are consistently on top in the second half of the 10-team points table, have made significant progress under the supervision of captain Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting. Kolkata Knight Riders became champions last year under the leadership of Iyer (603 runs).
To reach the IPL final for the second time in a row like this speaks volumes about his abilities as a leader who organizes his players as well as anyone in the format. It is therefore not surprising that Iyer is the only cricketer in the tournament’s 18-year history to have led three different teams to the IPL final, with Delhi Capitals being the third team.
Punjab Kings’ Key Players and Bowling Concerns
Punjab Kings have good batsmen to support Iyer in the form of Prabhasimran Singh, Josh English, Priyansh Arya, and Shashank Singh, who can hold their position strong and also attack the opposition camp aggressively. Punjab’s bowling looked a little weak without Marco Jansson, but keeping Mumbai Indians at bay for the entire innings on a batting-friendly wicket shows that their attack is not too weak. Yuzvendra Chahal is still struggling with a hand injury and was not at his best in the second qualifier, but Punjab will expect him to perform well against his former franchise. The rain affected the second qualifier between Punjab and Mumbai, but there is no forecast of rain on the day of the final.The organizers have extended the duration to 120 minutes by adding an extra hour to the playing time, and they have kept a reserve day for the final.
Read More: PBKS vs RCB: Battle for First IPL Title Amid Rain Concerns!
