IPL 2023: Match 20, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Predicted Playing XI vs Delhi Capitals

Royal Challengers Banglaore's (RCB) struggles with the ball came to the fore yet again after the Banglore-based outfit failed to defend a 200+ score at the Chinnaswamy in their last IPL 2023 clash against Lucknow Super Giants. The Men in Red and Gold were the favourites to win after posting a daunting target, but LSG's Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran changed the complexion of the game with their blistering knocks.

While the RCB pacers were spot on with the new ball in the powerplay, it was in the middle overs that LSG turned the game on its head. It was absolute carnage in the latter stages of the match as RCB bowlers' lack of discipline at the death led to their downfall.

Faf du Plessis' team will be deflated after losing two consecutive matches, but they take on a hapless Delhi Capitals (DC) in their second home match of the season. The Bangalore-based outfit are favourites heading into the contest as Delhi have lost all four of their matches in the tournament so far.

Here's Royal Challengers Bangalore's predicted XI against Delhi Capitals:

Openers: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli

RCB skipper Faf du Plessis struggled to get going in the initial stages of the match against LSG as his opening partner Virat Kohli took the attack to the bowlers in the powerplay. However, the veteran South African batter found his groove in the middle overs, smashing 79 runs off 46 deliveries, which included a mammoth 115-metre six, the longest one of the tournament so far.

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli was in imperious touch too, especially in the powerplay. The batting superstar played some eye-catching shots, including a swashbuckling six over the mid-wicket fence against English speedster Mark Wood. He scored 61 runs off just 44 deliveries, registering his second half-century in three matches this season.

Middle Order: Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik (wk)

Following a brisk start by the home side in the powerplay, the Bangalore-based franchise were struggling for momentum after the departure of Kohli. That is when star Aussie dasher Glenn Maxwell entered the arena, dispatching the LSG bowlers to all parts of the ground. Maxwell smashed six maximums and three boundaries in his 29-ball stay to propel his side to a daunting 212.

Veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik got the opportunity to face just one ball, however, he did have a big say in the outcome of the nail-biting match as it was due to his fumble on the last delivery that allowed Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan to sneak in a bye, winning the game for the visitors.

All-rounders: David Willey, Shahbaz Ahmed

English all-rounder David Willey did not get a chance to show his batting skills in the game against LSG, but the new-ball bowler was decent at the top of the innings for the home side. Although he failed to pick a wicket, he was the second-most economical bowler, conceding 32 runs in his four overs in a high-scoring thriller.

Shahbaz Ahmed was another RCB player who was not required with the bat as the stat batting trio of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell fired on all cylinders. But the left-arm spinner failed to impress with the ball when and was restricted to just one over after conceding 15 runs.

Bowlers: Karn Sharma, Wayne Parnell, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj

Karn Sharma was introduced in the second innings of the match as an Impact Player for RCB, as the home side needed to strengthen their bowling after an outstanding batting performance. Although the leggie picked the crucial wicket of Marcus Stoinis, he leaked 48 runs in his three overs.

Reece Topley's unfortunate injury ruled him out of the ongoing 16th edition of the tournament, prompting RCB to sign veteran Proteas pacer Wayne Parnell as a replacement. The left-arm seamer, playing his first game in IPL since 2014, scalped two wickets in his opening spell to wreck the LSG batting order. However, he was taken to the cleaners in the death overs as RCB succumbed to a narrow defeat.

Harshal Patel's IPL 2023 is getting from bad to worse with each passing game. The RCB medium-pacer was taken for 48 runs in his four overs. He had a chance to redeem himself in the last over but he missed a glorious chance to run out the non-striker, which would have sent the match into a Super Over.

Arguably RCB's best performer on the day, Mohammed Siraj was too hot to handle with the new ball. He dismissed explosive LSG opener Kyle Mayers for a duck in the first over of the chase and also accounted for his opening partner KL Rahul. The star Indian pacer also grabbed the prized scalp of Nicholas Pooran, who almost single-handedly got his side home with a breathtaking assault.

Impact player scenarios:

Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) Probable Playing XI:

Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Anuj Rawat, David Willey, Wayne Parnell, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj

Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) Probable Impact Players:

Suyash Prabhudessai, Akash Deep, Avinash Singh, Karn Sharma, Siddarth Kaul