Royal Challengers Bangalore will play South Australia Redbacks tonight in the Champions League T20 game, which rather interestingly, will decide the fate of both the teams with respect to their qualification for the semi-finals.
As things currently stand, Kolkata Knight Riders have four points, but their league engagements are over. Warriors also have four points and they play their last game in the afternoon against the Somerset, who have three points. Bangalore have two points whereas South Australia have three.
Irrespective of what happens in that first game this afternoon, Bangalore know that they have to win their game against South Australia. What makes it interesting is the result from the previous game, where Royal Challengers pummelled the Somerset side made their net run-rate scoot up to within touching distance of the Warriors. So, if the Warriors lose their game and remain at four, whereas Bangalore win to go up to four, there will be a three-way tie between these two teams and Kolkata. In this case, the net run-rate will come into the picture.
However, if Warriors win, then there will be no case of the net run-rate pulling the side down. The equation will become simple for the Royal Challengers Bangalore – they win and they will be through to the semi-finals.
Against them, South Australia will need to win to get to five, without which they will be left taking the next flight home. If they get to five, irrespective of the other result, they will be through to the semi-finals.
Where the South Australian side could struggle is that they have played both their games so far on the far slower track at Hyderabad, which means that the one at Bangalore could take some adjusting to. On the other hand, this being Bangalore’s home ground, there cannot be too much doubt that they will go into the match prepared.
The one batsman who will be prepared for the pitch, though, will be Chris Gayle. Come rain, come sunshine, Gayle likes those tracks that afford the ball coming on to the bat quicker than the ones at Hyderabad – and that can hardly be good news for the opposition. In two games, Gayle gave a glimpse of what might have been, before succumbing to temptation. In the third, he did not and Somerset were left licking their wounds.
South Australia will have the pace in Shaun Tait to test Gayle. The big question is whether they would like to use it or if they would prefer going in with the same attack that they had in the previous games.
Either way, a scrumptious battle on hands!