IPL 2024: Will rain play spoilsport in much-awaited blockbuster CSK vs RCB clash?

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 18 (ANI): Following the rain threat during the clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, the fans have recieved good news from the venue as Bengaluru has seen blue skies and sunshine on Saturday morning.

RCB will host CSK in the 68th fixture IPL 2024 encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.

There is a lot of threat of rain in an all-important clash between RCB-CSK. This encounter is supposed to be crucial as it will decide the fourth and final team for the playoffs of the ongoing 17th edition of the cash-rich league.

The evening views remain dull with a 60% chance of rain around the match’s start time of 7.30 pm. The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted that it would be generally cloudy with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers.

Even if it rains, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has a good drainage system and is one of the few grounds in India with a subsurface aeration system, allowing play to resume within 30 minutes after the rain stops.

RCB is coming into the match with five wins on the trot after losing seven of the first eight matches this season but have a great chance to make the IPL playoffs for the ninth time.

On the other hand, defending champions CSK have been more consistent throughout the season and are better placed to make their 13th playoff appearance. The five-time champions beat RCB in the season’s first clash by six wickets.

Chennai Super Kings are fourth on the points table with 14 points from 13 matches while Royal Challengers Bengaluru are at sixth with 12 points from as many games. CSK also have a better net run rate of 0.528 than RCB’s 0.387.

To replace the Super Kings in the top four, RCB needs to win the match by at least 18 runs if they score a minimum of 200 runs batting first or win in 18.1 overs if they are chasing 200.

Chennai Super Kings, meanwhile, will qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs if they win the match, regardless of the margin of victory.

The last time CSK and RCB met in the inaugural match of the IPL 2024, the Super Kings clinched a six-wicket win over Faf du Plessis’ side.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Dayal, Swapnil Singh, Anuj Rawat, Suyash Prabhudessai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Himanshu Sharma, Mayank Dagar, Manoj Bhandage, Tom Curran, Alzarri Joseph, Akash Deep, Saurav Chauhan, Rajan Kumar.

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Prashant Solanki, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Mitchell Santner, Richard Gleeson, RS Hangargekar, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Aravelly Avanish.