2016 IPL Final: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
One of the most watched T20 tournaments in the cricket world, the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL), will reach its climax on Sunday after more than 45 days of intense franchise competition. The 2016 IPL final will be played between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore on Sunday, 29 May.
This is the third IPL final for RCB after their unsuccessful quests in 2009 and 2011. SRH, in its previous name of Deccan Chargers, won the title in 2009 but for the present franchise, this is their first final.
Road to the final
After being bottom of the table after seven games, RCB rode on Virat Kohli’s stupendous form to end up in second position after qualifying stage. And then in the first eliminator, they overcame Gujarat Lions on the back of AB de Villiers’ heroics.
SRH, on the other hand, were a constant presence in the top two only to be thwarted on the last day of qualifying. They however stitched together back-to-back knock-out wins over Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Lions to reach the finals.
Form watch
The star-studded RCB relied heavily on Kohli and AB with the pair snatching nine man-of-the-match performances so far between them. Their form coming into the finals is awe-inspiring with seven victories in their last eight encounters. If ever there is something called momentum in T20, it is with RCB now!
SRH haven’t been far behind either with David Warner leading from the front, both with the bat and in the field. Sunrisers lost their way a little towards the end of league phase but got back their momentum in the knock-outs.
The two teams have already played twice in the league phase splitting the victories.
Team watch
Undoubtedly, RCB depend on their top order with Kohli, AB and KL Rahul leading their charge so far. But, the fragile untested middle order is a huge worry. Bowling looks a little settled too with Shane Watson and Yuzvendra Chahal among the wickets consistently. Watch out for the frugal starts provided by the seamer Aravind.
SRH is all about Warner at the moment, with huge question marks on their middle order too. The presence of all-rounders Moises Henriques and Ben Cutting gives them a settled look. If Mustafizur Rahman can recover to play in the final, it would be an added boost to their hopes. Even otherwise, the form of Bhuvneswar Kumar is a huge plus.
Chances
Both teams rely on a few individuals which makes this match more interesting. Backing RCB to win at odds of $1.56 at Sportsbet looks the best bet. With small boundaries on offer, there could be a barrage of sixes. RCB should again lead the way here at odds of $1.62 at Sportsbet for most sixes.
