In a blockbuster rivalry, star-studded Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Mumbai Indians on Sunday at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium. Both teams are desperately looking to strengthen their position in the tournament. RCB had kicked off their title defence in dominant fashion, looking solid in every match. They stormed through the opening phase of the tournament with four victories in their first five matches, excelling in both batting and bowling departments.
One of the positives of their impressive start was a commanding win over Mumbai Indians. However, momentum has slowly slipped away from Bengaluru in recent matches. Three defeats in their last five outings have put them in a tough spot, and back-to-back losses coming into this match have added pressure on the defending champions to bounce back immediately.
Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, have endured a difficult and inconsistent campaign. They have struggled to maintain stability this season, managing only three wins from ten games and wandering near the bottom of the points table.
However, MI found a reason to smile after securing an important victory in their previous match. That win has given a much-needed boost and kept their hopes alive. Still, every remaining fixture is a must-win encounter for MI as they look to keep up with the momentum.
Head-to-head
Matches - 35
RCB won - 16
MI won - 19
RCB probable XII: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam
MI probable XII: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c) Robin Minz, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, AM Ghazanfar, Jasprit Bumrah, Raghu Sharma