Downpour piles more misery on Challengers’ chances
STAR-STUDDED TEAM ARE CURRENTLY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE
oyal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), looking for redemption following their humiliating defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, was hit with another blow yesterday with the rain playing spoilsport in their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at home.
Virat Kohli’s team, who were bundled out for the record lowest total of 49 runs in 9.4 overs in Kolkata, were looking to get their campaign back on track with a win but heavy rains prevented even the toss being gone through.
Sunrisers so far had not won a single match away from home and the diehard Bangalore fans would feel it was an opportunity gone begging. With just four points from seven games, this possible washout might dent the qualifying chances immensely. Last year’s runner-up has already slipped to the bottom of the points table with half their matches done with
Aiming to get consistency
Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, after facing the wrath of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Pune, would have also been looking to get their consistency back. Their openers David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan have been in exceptional form. Warner has scored 235 runs from 7 games while Dhawan superseded the skipper with 282. The bowlers have also been at their best with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (16 wickets) and young Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan (10 wickets). Unfazed by the setback in Kolkata, RCB skipper Kohli took time off from the nets to hang out at a gaming joint in the city’s upscale shopping mall on Monday. “It’s great fun to be at Smaaash, which has been my favourite hangout for a long time, as the popular venue pumps energy to play video games, enjoy music, dance and dine,” Kohli said on the occasion through a statement released by the company yesterday.
The visit also coincided with Kohli tweeting and greeting Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar on the Mumbaikar’s 44th birthday.
RCB skipper