Two huge cricket teams, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), will meet in Match 10 of IPL 2024. They’ll face off at Bengaluru’s iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 29. RCB started with a loss against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). But they bounced back, beating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by four wickets.
The Challengers came out fighting after their opening defeat. Though outplayed initially, they turned it around against PBKS. The two powerhouse franchises now lock horns in a highly anticipated clash.
The Kolkata Knight Riders have participated in a single IPL match so far. That game was against the Sunrisers Hyderabad team. Russell’s explosive batting (he scored 64 runs off just 25 balls) and Rana’s excellent final over helped KKR secure victory in that contest.
As both teams prepare for what promises to be an exciting battle, here are three key milestones that might be attained in tonight’s RCB versus KKR match.
1. Andre Russell Eyes Landmark as Potential First KKR Pacer with 100 Wickets
Although Andre Russell is most known for his power-hitting, he is also an excellent bowler. Despite many injuries during his career, the Caribbean bowler thrives with his right-arm speed deliveries.
Andre Russell, since his KKR debut in 2014, has claimed 99 wickets with a remarkable strike rate of 14.93. He ranks second among the franchise’s highest wicket-takers. One more wicket and Russell becomes KKR’s first pace bowler to reach 100 wickets. A milestone within his grasp.
Only Sunil Narine (182) has more wickets for KKR than Russell.
2. Virat Kohli Closing in on MS Dhoni’s Six-Hitting Record
Virat Kohli was on a rampage against Punjab, scoring 77 off 49 balls to give RCB its first IPL 2024 win.
Kohli struck two sixes in that game, bringing his IPL six-hitting total to 237, the league’s fifth-highest. Kohli ranks third among Indians, after only Rohit Sharma (261 maximums) and MS Dhoni (239).
The Delhi-born batsman is only three sixes away from breaking former CSK skipper MS Dhoni’s IPL record of 239 sixes and becoming the tournament’s fourth-highest six-hitter.
Kohli’s superb batting at Chinnaswamy Stadium makes it likely he’ll surpass the record versus Knight Riders. He often scores amazingly well there. And records are meant to be broken, after all.
3. Sunil Narine will play his 500th T20 match
Sunil Narine, one of the most prominent players in IPL history, has been Kolkata’s backbone for more than ten years.
Not only that, but the mysterious tweaker is a globetrotter, having played T20 cricket for several franchises throughout the world. The 35-year-old is the third-highest wicket-taker in the format’s history, with 536 scalps at an impressive economy rate of 6.10.
Sunil Narine has already played 499 T20 games, and the forthcoming encounter against RCB will be his 500th. He will be only the fourth person to reach this incredible milestone in the game’s shortest format.
Only Kieron Pollard (660), Dwayne Bravo (573) and Shoaib Malik (542) have more T20 games than Narine.