Harshal Patel was a star on his return to Royal Challengers Bangalore, wrecking the Mumbai Indians in the death overs.
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SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are set to face-off in the first Southern Derby of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The Hyderabad-based franchise registered a defeat by a margin of 10 runs in their opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). RCB on the other hand, kicked off their league campaign with a triumph in the first game of the edition against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). Jonny Bairstow and Rashid Khan were the key performers for SRH in the team’s opening game, with Harshal Patel and AB de Villiers the game-changers for RCB. However, there are several other exciting players in both these squads who will be looking to make their presence felt.
Here is a look at five key player battles to watch out for:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not deliver a quality performance in the opening match but is well capable of emerging as a match-winner on his day. Skipper David Warner will be optimistic of Bhuvneshwar accounting for the dismissal of Virat Kohli, whose skills are already quite well-known.
Rashid Khan can bowl at a quick pace, with his variations leaving the best in the business confused. He will be facing off against AB de Villiers, who is considered among the best at playing spin.
Natarajan has been quite impressive in recent times, with his yorkers and inch-perfect accuracy. He will have to deliver more of the same against Maxwell, who can be quite harsh on loose deliveries.
Harshal became the first player to record a five-wicket haul against MI in the edition’s opening match. He will be full of confidence and eager to maintain the same impact when RCB take on SRH. The pacer will however have to negotiate David Warner, who is extremely consistent and quite destructive.
Jamieson is off to a fine start in the IPL, having picked his maiden wicket in the opening match as well. Bairstow is similarly in good nick, having scored a half-century in the franchise’s first match. An elite face-off awaits.
