IPL 2022, RCB vs GT: Hardik Pandya elects to bat
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will lock horns with table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 67th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on Thursday. RCB have won seven matches. They need to trump an already qualified Gujarat Titans to stay alive in the competition. The news from the center is that GT skipper Hardik Pandya has won the toss and will bat.
The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will host this affair. The match will be telecast live on Star Sports Network (7:30 PM IST) and live-streamed on the Hotstar app. Chasing sides have won six of the last nine matches. So far, it has been a decent wicket to bat on. Both pacers and spinners have come up with impressive numbers.
Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (RCB) has clipped 23 wickets this season at 14.65. Glenn Maxwell (RCB) has slammed 228 runs in 10 matches while striking at 166.42. Pacer Harshal Patel (RCB) has claimed 18 wickets this season while averaging 19.44. Afghan spinner Rashid Khan (GT) has pocketed 16 wickets in 13 matches at 22.25. Wriddhiman Saha (GT) has scored 281 runs this season at 40.14.
GT have a 1-0 lead over RCB from the earlier match-up. Batting first, RCB had posted 170/6 in 20 overs. In reply, the Titans (174/4) had chased down the target in 19.3 overs. Rahul Tewatia (43*) was the top scorer for GT.
GT Playing XI: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade, Hardik Pandya c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami. The Titans have made one change with Lockie Ferguson replacing Alzarri Joseph.
RCB Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Siddarth Kaul, Josh Hazlewood. RCB have left out Mohammed Siraj and roped in Sid Kaul.
