RECORD-BREAKING SRH WIN

TRAVIS HEAD & ABHISHEK SHARMA SET POWERPLAY WORLD RECORD

Task cut out for visitors

Little room for error as struggling RCB face dominant KKR

Aware that they cannot afford any more slip-ups, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will have their task cut out when they face dominant hosts Kolkata Knight Riders in a tricky Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.

RCB's pursuit of a maiden IPL title has once again hit a roadblock following six losses in seven matches.

With five consecutive defeats, the bottom-ranked RCB now confront the daunting task of winning their remaining seven games to keep their playoff prospects alive.

For a side that has been severely let down by their bowlers and relies heavily on the batting prowess of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and veteran Dinesh Karthik, facing KKR presents a significant challenge.

"From a bowling perspective, we don't have as many weapons. So, unfortunately, it comes down to the batters to make sure that we use our form and our confidence.

The scores that we put on the board are probably going to be the only way we are going to get into the competition," their skipper Du Plessis has admitted earlier.

The fact that they are coming after conceding the IPL's record total of 287/3 by Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last match will undoubtedly linger in the minds of their bowlers.

It would not be a bad idea to bring back their most expensive (Rs 11.5-crore) buy this season, Alzarri Joseph, to go alongside Mohammed Siraj, who was not picked against SRH.

Joseph has bagged a solitary wicket in three appearances for RCB while also getting hammered at 11.89 runs per over.

who Glenn Maxwell's spin also could have been a nice option, but the struggling Australian all-rounder, pulled out of the game against SRH citing mental fatigue, is also battling a hip strain that may keep him out of action for some more time.