Can Gayle lift RCB against his favourite opposition?
Kings XI Punjab have plenty to play for at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. While they're at it, they should bear in mind that they are the favourite IPL opposition of a certain Chris Gayle
The Preview by Nikhil Kalro
04-May-2017
Match facts
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kings XI Punjab
Bengaluru, May 5, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)
Bengaluru, May 5, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)
Head-to-head
Overall: Kings XI Punjab have beaten Royal Challengers Bangalore 11 times in 19 games in the IPL. The results have been split equally in their eight meetings at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Season: Despite a sensational 46-ball 89 from AB de Villiers, Kings XI thrashed Royal Challengers when the teams met in Indore earlier in the season.
In the news
Travis Head's poor form, and Royal Challengers' preference to open with Chris Gayle at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, could mean a reshuffling of the playing XI.
For Kings XI, Eoin Morgan will not be available for the rest of the season, having joined England for national duty.
Qualification scenario
With just two wins from 11 games, Royal Challengers have been eliminated from playoffs contention.
Four wins from Kings XI's remaining five games could be enough for a spot in the playoffs. Three wins could also be enough if other results go their way: if Rising Pune Supergiant don't win more than one more game or if Delhi Daredevils don't win more than four of their remaining games.
Likely XIs
Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Chris Gayle, 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Kedar Jadhav (wk), 5 Shane Watson, 6 Mandeep Singh, 7 Stuart Binny, 8 Pawan Negi, 9 Adam Milne/Samuel Badree, 10 S Aravind, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
Kings XI Punjab: 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Manan Vohra, 5 Glenn Maxwell (capt), 6 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Sandeep Sharma, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Varun Aaron, 11 T Natarajan
Should Royal Challengers persist with Watson for the rest of the season?
0 votesYes, his experience helps in the team balance
No, he's past his best. Invest in youth
Strategy punt
Kings XI could use Axar Patel to slow down AB de Villiers, whose strike rate against left-arm spin is comparatively low as opposed to other types of bowling. De Villiers' strike rate against left-arm spin is 133.66, compared to 158 against pace. De Villiers also has a strike rate of 172.28 against other types of spin in the IPL since 2016.
Royal Challengers could counter that move by playing Chris Gayle, who has hammered Axar for 56 runs off just 22 balls in the IPL at a strike rate of 254.
Stats that matter
At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Gayle has scores of 107, 71, 77, 4, 117 and 73 against Kings XI with an average of 74.83 and a strike rate of 187.08.
Nikhil Kalro is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo