IPL 2021, RCB vs CSK: Pitch report, stats, and more
Royal Challengers Bangalore will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings in the 35th match of the IPL 2021. CSK are already eyeing the playoff berth, while RCB would want to bounce back from a crushing defeat. The match will be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the smallest of the three venues in the UAE. Both sides will look to capitalize upon this factor.
Pitch report and conditions
This venue in Sharjah is famous for producing high-scoring encounters. The flat surface here favors the batters, who usually make use of the small boundaries. The ball comes nicely on to the bat. Meanwhile, the bowlers have to be inch-perfect in order to get the desired results. In the impending game, the temperature will be around 35 degrees Celsius.
A look at the interesting numbers
In the 2020 season, seven of the first eight innings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium saw scores of 200 or more. Meanwhile, five of the first six games were won by teams batting first. The last six matches were won by the teams batting second.
How did the two teams perform here?
In the IPL 2020, RCB won their first match at Sharjah against Kolkata Knight Riders. However, they lost their next two matches to Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively. On the other hand, CSK lost all three matches on this venue in the 2020 season. They lost their last encounter here to Mumbai Indians by 10 wickets.
A look at the T20 stats
The Sharjah Cricket Stadium has hosted a total of 56 T20 matches. Notably, the teams batting second have won 36 matches here. The highest team score here is 228/4 (Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2020). Meanwhile, the lowest team score here is 82 (Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings, 2017). The average first innings score on this venue is 158.
RCB vs CSK: What to expect?
CSK all-rounder Sam Curran is available for selection. However, the recent run of Dwayne Bravo can't be overlooked. The Caribbean all-rounder carries the propensity to outfox the batters with his deceptive variations. His skills will be handy on the dead track of Sharjah. As far as RCB are concerned, a lot will depend on the form of AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell.
