The D-Day has arrived as Royal Challenegrs Bangalore will take on Sunrisers Hyderabd in the final showdown at M Chinnaswamy Stadiumin Bangalore. Playing on his home ground, RCB will be looking to win its maiden trophy and with their batsmen, including skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in prime form, they would certainly be eying the glory. However, Surisers have someone special in David Warner and with their bowlers bowling with accuracy; things won’t be easy for Kohli and his men.
Let’s look at the players who can make a difference in the IPL Season-9 final.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Virat Kohli: Kohli as of now exist in a zone where no shot is beyond his imagination. He along with AB de Villiers have done the impossible as despite RCB having a faulty start in the first half of the season, the duo kept the tempo up and won most of the matches for their team in the second half to steer it to the final. Kohli in the process became the first batsmen to score 800 runs in a single season of IPL and also became the first batsman to make four centuries in a T20 tournament. If he gets going in the final, he will not only become the first batsman to score a 1000 runs in one IPL season but also steer RCB to their maiden IPL title.
AB de Villiers: If it’s not Virat Kohli, then de Villiers is always there to steer RCB to safety. He has done that upteen number of times this season and his match against Gujarat Lions that took RCB to the final is an example. He is a big match player and if he gets going, there will be no stopping for the RCB. Known as the 360 degree man, de Villiers can hit the ball in every corner of the ground. He has the ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Chris Gayle: Gayle needs no introduction. He has been the highest run getter in two seasons and even has the highest score of 175 in the IPL by his name. Though not in his elements in this season of the IPL, the big-hitting West Indies batsman is the most feared in this format of his game.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
David Warner: David Warner has been an inspiration for his team as he has led Surisers Hyderabad from the front. Most of the time, he has clicked with the bat in this season of the IPL and has performed exceedingly well in pressure games like the one against the Gujarat Lions (93 off 58 balls) in the playoff that led Surisers into the final. SunRisers would be hoping that he can carry on from where he left in the previous game.
Yuvraj Singh: Yuvraj Singh will be another player to watch out for in the final. Though not to his usual self, the man who has hit six sixes in an over can’t be ignored. He has played a few good innings in this IPL and the Sunrisers would be hoping this Southpaw to play another such innings when they take on the rampant Royal Challengers. He is vastly experienced, having played for India all those years along with all the other IPL teams. He will bolster the middle order of SRH and provide an additional spin option for his captain.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: If Surisers want to win the trophy, their bowlers will have to come out handy against the likes of Gayle, Kohli and de Villeiers. Kumar will play a pivotal role in Warner’s scheme of things. He is already the tournament's leading wicket-taker, with 23 wickets in 16 matches and if he add a couple of wickets to his tally and can bowl the way he bowls during the power plays, it will give Warner an advantage. Kumar’s ability to swinfg the bowls and bowl a few Yorkers towards theebnd can make a huge difference. He will have to provide early breakthroughs to his team.