IPL 2018: Match 8, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab - Expectation vs Reality

The Royal Challengers Bangalore will be hoping to change the course of their campaign in the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after facing a loss in their first game itself. After their defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, they will now face an upbeat Kings XI Punjab at their own home ground the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

While RCB have a few challenges to face in terms of who steps up and more so in reference to how the Chinnaswamy pitch behaves this year. KXIP, on the other hand, will look to extend their winning momentum away from home too. Here are a few expectations we have for the eight encounter of the IPL:

KL Rahul’s form to translate

Interestingly, Bengaluru’s local boy KL Rahul was the Man of the Match in his first game for his new franchise KXIP for the fastest half-century in the history of IPL. He will be facing his old franchise RCB and if his performance was anything to go by, RCB will regret letting go of him in the auction.

If Chris Gayle also makes it into the Playing XI, the chances of Chinnaswamy witnessing a show from their former players increase further. In fact, all of the former RCB players have done well so far, be it Kedar Jadhav, Rahul or Shane Watson.

Chahal to show his prowess

Yuzvendra Chahal looked rather rusty in the match against KKR. In fact, people attributed that to a loss of confidence after Henrich Klassen hit him particularly well during the series vs South Africa. However, one thing we know about Chahal is that he is a bowler who has admitted to being unaffected by the number of runs he goes for because wickets are his only priority.

He is been bowling at the Chinnaswamy for years and his experience and success there is likely to reflect in all home games. Expect to see a glimpse of it in the first game at home itself. A couple of wickets or more would be a great way to fulfil that.

KL getting stronger by the day

His sublime touch is pretty evident, isn’t it? The match at Chinnaswamy was his homecoming too. And he did justice to that with his 30-ball-47.

He started with some absolutely glorious shots and kept chipping them in even thought he lost Mayank Agarwal and Aaron Finch pretty early on the other end. He was eventually dismissed by Washington Sundar, inches before another half-century.

Chahal doesn’t, but Umesh does

If Umesh Yadav steaming in at the Eden Gardens was your drug, his spell today at the Chinnaswamy was just a reminder of why he is the only specialist pacer to have won the Man of the Match award in the IPL 7 times.

The spell wherein he dimissed Agarwal and Finch in the same over was a sight. It was followed by another 140kph delivery that proved to be too good for Yuvraj Singh in his next over. Good times for Umesh with hopes that he only gets better.

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