IPL 2017 l RCB vs KXIP, Match Preview: Royal Challengers Bangalore aim to spoil Kings Eleven Punjab' chances of securing play-off spot

Bottom-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore shall be locking horns against Kings Eleven Punjab at the MA Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday evening. The match is scheduled to commence at 8 pm. Out of the 19 IPL encounters played between the two sides, Kings hold the slight edge by winning 11, while the home team has secured eight victories.

It is 4 games a piece to both the sides when they place on Bangalore's home ground at MA Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru. Kings Eleven registered a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the game played out at Holkar Stadium earlier in the season. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore placed at the bottom of the table with dismal points have been eliminated from the play-offs. RCB has had a miserable season with both bat and ball with most of their batting stalwarts out of sorts. RCB's big guns with the bat in Chris Gayle, AB De Villiers and Shane Watson have been short of runs all through the season.

RCB lacked a potent seamer all through the tournament with English import Tymal Mills and Sreenath Arvind coming good in couple of games. RCB's biggest has been their spin department which has been well partnered by Samuel Badree and Yuzvendra Chahal.RCB would have big hopes from Chris Gayle who has decimated Punjab in the past by amazing runs 797 runs.

Kings are coming into the match after beating Delhi Daredevils. Kings Eleven Punjab's form has been pretty up and down this season. The team's batting has been well anchored with elegant stroke-makers in  Shaun Marsh, Martin Guptill, Hashim Amla and Manan Vohra who have guided the side to imposing totals. Meanwhile, skipper Glen Maxwell has provided the impetus down the order with whirlwind camoes.

The team would like to see Proteas hard hitting batsman David Miller return to form.The team never had so have relied heavily on the Indian medium pace attack of Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma and Varon Aaron. Sandeep Sharma has been their in-form seamer all through the season.Meanwhile, all-rounder, Axar Patel shall once again be in charge of the spinning duties.

Kings Eleven Punjab is very much in with a chance of qualifying for the play-offs. They would need to win four of their remaining five matches to get across the line.So it's all to play for the Punjab team who would like to secure a win and move up the points table.