At the halfway mark of the Indian Premier League, Royal Challengers Bangalore, with five wins from seven matches, seemed like they were inching closer to a playoff berth. But like most of the previous seasons, it turned out to be all bluff and bluster.
Three heavy losses to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, which saw their net run rate plummet, cost them dear. Losing the penultimate league encounter by 54 runs to Punjab Kings made things worse for the Faf du Plessis-led side. This has left RCB with a must-win final league contest against table-toppers Gujarat Titans in Mumbai on Thursday. To keep the playoffs door ajar, a win alone will not suffice. RCB will hope to ride on their good luck and misfortune of other teams.
