IPL-17: RCB vs GT | Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans eye mandatory win to keep playoff hopes alive
The Hindu
Indian Premier League 2024: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru on May 4 2024
From a maths perspective, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans can still reach the IPL playoffs, but they need to ward off inner gremlins on May 4 to notch a mandatory win to keep that dream flickering.
The Royal Challengers are the bottom-dwellers with six points from 10 matches, while the Titans are placed eighth with eight points from 10 matches.
However, the floundering outings of Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals (10 points each) have fuelled the hopes of these two teams of sneaking into the middle tier of the points table and from there to the knockouts.
But both RCB and GT will know that keeping their own house in order is a better option than depending on other teams to stay afloat as the IPL group stage is entering its business end.
In that context, the Faf du Plessis-led side will feel a tad more confident than their opponents after registering wins in their last two matches.
They have also found new heroes across these two games – Will Jacks powered his way to a match-winning century against GT, while Cameron Green finally lived up to his tag of all-rounder with crucial runs and wickets against Hyderabad.
RCB would hope for an encore from them at the home venue as well.
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