IPL 2022, RCB vs GT: Royal Challengers Bangalore face must-win situation against Gujarat Titans in final league game

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.

In the prevailing situation, RCB, with 14 points and a net run rate of -0.323, will have to hope for Mumbai Indians to beat Delhi Capitals (14 points) on Saturday. In case both Delhi and Bangalore lose, then the net run rate comes into play, and as things stand, Delhi (0. 255) are ahead. Teams on 12 points and a game to go too can play party-poopers. While the equations play a huge role in deciding RCB's future in the tournament, their first task will be to get past a dominant Titans, led by Hardik Pandya. The debutants have been on a song with 10 wins from 13 outings and have already booked the playoffs berth. Although they have blown hot and cold recently with two losses in five matches, the last time the two teams faced each other earlier in the league, Pandya's men had prevailed by a six-wicket margin.

Virat Kohli's poor form continues to be a topic of discussion and this match presents the former skipper with the perfect opportunity to shrug off the rust. Youngsters Rajat Patidar and Mahipal Lomror will have to repay the team's faith in them while converting the start will play on the big-hitting Glenn Maxwell's mind.

Another crucial factor for RCB in the death overs will be the form of their finishers Shahbaz Ahmed and