Mumbai: After Mumbai Indians sealed their spot in the final of the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), eyes are now on Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals – the winner of which will take on Chennai Super Kings on Friday. Both the teams have talented all-rounders but these six cricketers can make the difference.
Rajasthan Royals
Shane Watson: He passed on the captaincy to Steve Smith and became a monster with the bat (104 not out off 59 balls) in the last tie against Kolkata Knight Riders. The beast, that was dormant within him for years, suddenly came out ferocious. Watch out for him.
Ajinkya Rahane: He has been in the form of his life. Never ever he has middled the ball so well, like he has been doing in the tournament. He was unlucky to be run out the other day while batting on 37 off only 22 balls.
Chris Morris: Picking up four wickets when the opponent is throwing their bat at everything is not an easy task but Morris did it. He picked up the crucial wicket of Andre Russell too when it mattered and ended up with figures of 4/23 in his four overs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Virat Kohli: He is a maverick and loves challenges. He displayed that the other day against Sunrisers Hyderabad slamming a 19-ball 44 chasing a difficult target in the rain-hit fixture.
AB de Villiers: AB adds sheen to the star-studded team. On his day, no other cricketer needs to perform as he stands up and delivers. Having scored a ton just a week back, he is in full swing. Being a captain of the South African team, he is a good guide to Kohli as well.
Chris Gayle: Another giant who can tear apart the opposition. Even Gayle has a ton under his belt in the tournament and he would like to add more. He might not have a good footwork but is a terrific timer of the ball. He doesn’t need to prove it anym
(Photos: BCCI/PTI)
