IPL 2021, Match 6, SRH vs RCB: Preview, probable XI, match prediction, live streaming, weather forecast, and pitch report
Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore in match six of Vivo IPL 2021 on Wednesday, April 14, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
SRH comes into this game on the back of a 10-run defeat to KKR. Electing to bowl after winning the toss, Nitish Rana and Rahul Tripathi's breathless onslaught left the SRH bowlers stunned.
Rashid Khan was the only bowler to go for less than eight runs per over, with the in-form Bhuvneshwar Kumar being carted around with ease.
They did manage an impressive comeback in the death overs, restricting KKR to 187/6 from a position where 200 seemed easy. Nevertheless, the target was a bit too high for them to chase, and after losing their openers early, SRH was always behind the asking rate.
Jonny Bairstow, who batted at number four, and Manish Pandey put on an impressive partnership, but some clever bowling from KKR meant that they eventually fell short by ten runs.
SRH's bowling has always been their strength and they'll look to shake off the first game and execute their plans well in this one.
RCB, meanwhile, beat the Mumbai Indians in the season opener by two wickets, almost making a meal out of it from a winning position. Virat Kohli finally won the toss and opted to bowl first.
MI started confidently and Suryakumar Yadav and Chris Lynn put on a solid partnership for the second wicket.
However, some good bowling changes got RCB back into the game, and that set the stage for an exciting finish in the death overs.
Harshal Patel bounced back brilliantly from a poor first over and finished off with a five-wicket haul, conceding just five runs and picking up four wickets in his last two overs.
Set a gettable target of 160, RCB had a sedate powerplay, with Washington Sundar promoted as an opener in Devdutt Padikkal's absence. He couldn't make much of an impact, and neither could Rajat Patidar.
The 'Big Show' Glenn Maxwell proved why he got the big bucks and injected some much-needed momentum into the RCB innings.
Even as Bumrah and Marco Jansen tried to get MI back into the game, Maxwell and AB de Villiers later kept the scoreboard ticking to ensure a comfortable finish for their side.
However, with eight runs required off eight balls, RCB almost crumbled in the end, with Harshal Patel taking the team over the line after losing eight wickets.
Both these teams have produced some thrilling contests in the past, and this encounter should be no different.
IPL 2021: SRH vs RCB Match Details
Date: April 14, 2021 (Wednesday).
Time: 7:30 PM IST.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Weather Forecast
It should be sunny in Chennai on Matchday, with minimal cloud cover expected. The average temperature should be around 29 degrees celsius, while dew could play a role once again in the second innings.
Pitch Report
The wicket at the MA Chidambaram Stadium has produced some competitive cricket despite being on the slower side.
There hasn't been that much turn on offer, and while the cutters and slower deliveries have worked, it will be easy for batters to score runs once they get their eye in.
Predicted XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH should go into this game with the same playing XI despite the defeat against KKR. Their bowlers are capable of doing much better than what was on display on Sunday, and Warner and the coaching staff would have reminded them of that.
Sandeep Sharma would be especially eager to do well, given his stellar record against Virat Kohli. Rashid Khan and his googlies could trouble the RCB skipper as well as AB de Villiers.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), David Warner (C), Manish Pandey, Jonny Bairstow, Abdul Samad, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, and T Natarajan.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Devdutt Padikkal could make his return in this game, now that he's likely back to full fitness. However, management could opt to give Rajat Patidar another opportunity to prove himself.
Considering that the surface isn't spinning that much, RCB could opt to bring in Navdeep Saini instead of Shahbaz Ahmed.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Devdutt Padikkal/Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli (C), AB de Villiers (WK), Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, Washington Sundar, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Navdeep Saini/ Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
IPL 2021: SRH vs RCB Match Prediction
Both these teams look well-matched, and there are some exciting player battles to watch out for as well.
However, SRH's bowling looks slightly better than RCB's despite their sub-par outing in the first game, and they should open their account with a narrow victory over Virat Kohli's men.
Prediction: Sunrisers Hyderabad to win.
IPL 2021: SRH vs RCB TV and Live Streaming Details
TV: Star Sports Network.
Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar VIP.