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RCB, Sunrisers battle in quest for first-time IPL glory
- Updated: May 28, 2016
Match facts
Sunday, May 29, 2016 Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)
Big Picture
On Sunday night at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, two teams will seek to complete the final stretch of a journey to a summit that has thus far eluded them both. At first glance, it would appear as if the hosts, Royal Challengers Bangalore, are surer of their footing. They have built up considerable momentum, winning seven of their previous eight matches. Their two leading batsmen, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, bring fearsome form into the contest. And unlike Sunrisers Hyderabad, they have been in an IPL final before – twice, in 2009 and 2011. Playing a third final, in their own backyard, against an opposition that already finds itself in uncharted territory, must feel like an opportunity begging to be grabbed.
But the flip side of having played in two finals before is that they have lost two finals before. That brings mental baggage that Royal Challengers could well do without. For years they have been fancied to win the IPL, only to stumble and fall at some point. They have delivered many memorable wins, they have lit up the tournament with bursts of individual brilliance, but, in the final analysis, they have flattered to deceive. So, in some ways, the fact that a golden opportunity now presents itself puts even more pressure on Royal Challengers to get the job done this time.
Sunrisers, meanwhile, must strive to approach their first IPL final with a clarity of purpose. While they will be buoyed by the confidence of having won two knockout matches to reach this stage, it does not help that those matches were played in Delhi, in vastly different conditions. Playing Royal Challengers in Bangalore, with little time to adjust to the conditions, in front of a vociferous and partisan crowd, they might well feel that the odds are stacked against them. But if they can avoid a deer-in-the-headlights mentality and make the most of their resources, they could turn in a performance to silence the Chinnaswamy din.
That will, in large part, depend on their bowlers. No batting lineup – not even one that boasts an in-form David Warner – can match up to Kohli and de Villiers if they hit the dizzying heights that they have …
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