Dale Steyn bowls with fine accuracy at nets ahead of KKR clash as RCB eye second win

With seven losses in eight games, it could be just matter of days now for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) now to exit the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019, but the Virat Kohli-led side is yet not giving up. The red-black brigade will be playing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) who suddenly lost sight of their track in the tournament after losing three straight games, at the Eden Gardens on Friday to pick the much-awaited second win. And towards that mission, the RCB have roped in South African pacer Dale Steyn.

Though a far cry from the pace bullet he was once, Steyn has made a comeback to cricket after a long injury break with some potential. The 35-year-old, who is just one match short of playing his 100th T20, recently became South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Tests and was also picked for the Proteas’ World Cup squad. The pacer replaced an injured Nathan Coulter-Nile who is now recuperating from an injury and is likely to be a part of the playing XI against the KKR.

Steyn last played in IPL in 2016

Steyn has played 90 matches in the IPL and took 92 wickets but the last time he played in the tournament was in 2016 when he played in only one game. However, the bowler was seen practising hard at the Eden Garden and hit one stump with accurate bowling at the nets. The RCB posted the video of Steyn’s on-the-spot bowling on Twitter.

Here is the video of Steyn hitting the stumps:

NOT #TBT. #SteynGun #OneDayToGo #PlayBold pic.twitter.com/pQJfFconcW

— Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) April 18, 2019

The RCB will also be keeping a note of the manner in which they lost their last encounter with the KKR at home earlier this month. Despite scoring over 200 and having a firm grip over the game till the last few overs, superhuman belting from Andre Russell (48 not out off 13 balls) saw them losing the game. Kohli was livid with his side’s bowling performance after the loss. The presence of Steyn will certainly be a boost for the RCB bowling which has been held to be weak this season.

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