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Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2016, Final at Bengaluru: Virat Kohli vs David Warner, other key battles

Both the skippers, Virat Kohli and David Warner have led their sides from front, in terms of scoring runs.

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© AFP
© AFP

The final show down of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016 is a couple of hours away where Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) take host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Both the skippers, Virat Kohli and David Warner have led their sides from front, in terms of scoring runs. Especially the SRH captain, whose 93 off 58 in the Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Lions almost single-handedly brought Hyderabad to the final. Even Bangalore’s majority of runs have come off Kohli’s bat. However, the side that will put up an all-round show will end as the new champion of IPL. Nevertheless, when the likes of Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle and Shane Watson lock horns with Warner, Yuvraj Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mustafizur Rahman, no less than fireworks are expected. Here are a few key battles to look at ahead of the grand finale on Sunday: Full Cricket Scorecard: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2016 Final

David Warner vs Virat Kohli: Both the skippers have set an example of leading a side in the shortest format. While Kohli is the Indian Test captain, Warner is the current vice-captain across formats and if SRH go on to win this edition of IPL, Warner surely has a great chance to earn a skipper’s responsibility soon on the international level. The Australian has made the better use of his bowlers throughout IPL 2016, on the other hand, RCB’s bowling attack was seen in a sync only towards the end of the group stage.

The result of the finale will mostly depend on the form of these two. The skipper who has a better day at work will get his name etched in history, becoming the sixth captain to win the IPL. The previous matches have seen when either Kohli or Warner is dismissed early, their respective sides begin to struggle in getting the runs freely. Regardless of batting in the first or second innings, Warner and Kohli have to ensure a good start to their sides.

Chris Gayle vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Had Gayle been in his best of forms, Bhuvneshwar would have been the less superior one in this battle. In the absence of SRH’s spearhead Ashish Nehra, it is Bhuvneshwar who has taken the charge of SRH’s bowling attack and luckily for his side, the pacer has been doing an excellent job.

Gayle has scores of 9 and 1 in his last two innings; Bhuvneshwar has been SRH’s best bowling option. RCB and SRH played each other twice earlier in IPL 2016 while Gayle was included in the playing XI only in the first game. And it was Bhuvneshwar who dismissed him. The pacer had cleaned up Gayle’s leg stump when the batsman was on just 6 runs. It was in similar fashion in which Gayle has been getting dismissed in the recent times in the ninth edition of IPL.

Shane Watson vs Yuvraj Singh: Both are all-rounders and one of the senior members of their respective squads. While Yuvraj will mostly not be given an over to bowl in the finale, Watson has been the go-to-bowler for Kohli so far in the tournament and the skipper will expect the same services from the Australian. Watson will have the advantage of the short pitched deliveries which will trouble Yuvraj.

On the other hand, if Yuvraj gets going with his natural game, RCB will be able to do little to stop him. He has played a crucial role in the 2007 ICC World T20 final, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 final, it will be interesting to watch if Yuvraj will replicate those performances to help SRH win this first trophy.

AB de Villiers vs Mustafizur Rahman/Trent Boult: De Villiers is third on the table of most runs of IPL 2016 so far. He is 97 runs behind Warner so a huge knock from the South African can only help him finish second, behind teammate Kohli in the table of most runs scored. De Villiers scored 85 and 47 in the last two meetings of SRH and RCB in IPL 2016. The SRH bowlers who have dismissed him in this season are Barinder Sran and Rahaman.

SRH are already without Nehra and if Rahman fails to recover fully for the IPL 2016 final, it will be no less than a huge blow for SRH. In the first encounter between these two sides in IPL 2016, Hyderabad managed to make only four breakthroughs and out of those four, two belonged to Rahman which shows his presence is very crucial for them. Boult who was suddenly picked for Qualifier 2 against Gujarat has not played a game in months. And that is why Rahman’s inclusion will be more important than Boult’s.

(Sakshi Gupta, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a sports fanatic whose mantra in life is “do only what you enjoy.” Her Twitter handle is @sakshi2929)

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