The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have hit form towards the end of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 campaign when things were coming to a grinding halt for them. Having won the last three games due to some excellent performances in all three departments, Virat Kohli’s men are in the capital to take on Delhi. But despite all the highs, the scenario remains the same for them with maximum points from the remaining matches getting them through to the next round. Delhi Capitals with 14 points are third in the league and defeating them is no easy feat. In 23 games they have played against each other, Bangalore hold the edge with 15 wins, 7 wins for Delhi while 1 game did not produce any result. Let us look at their last five games.

RCB vs DC – April 7 2019 – M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore – DC won by 4 wickets

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada snapped up four wickets to leave Virat Kohli and co struggling in their innings. The hosts ended with a total of 149/8 which is not the score you look forward to defending on such a good batting track. Delhi did make a hash of things, but in the end, they got home by six wickets. Rabada was rightly adjudged the man of the match at the end of the contest.

DD vs RCB – May 12 2018 – Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi – RCB won by 5 wickets

Heroics from Delhi wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant who hit a 34 ball 61 helped Delhi set Bangalore a target of 182. Pant in his innings smashed 4 sixes and 5 boundaries to get his team who were in a spot of bother at 16/2. In reply, Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers hit fifties to script an easy five-wicket win for Bangalore.

RCB vs DD – April 21 2018 – M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore – RCB won by 6 wickets

The game followed a similar pattern as the one above with Rishabh Pant hitting seven sixes in his innings of 85 coupled with Shreyas Iyer’s 52, Delhi put on 174 on board. AB De Villiers remained not out on 90 which came off just 39 balls to help RCB register a six-wicket win over Delhi. It was an easy win for RCB as they looked control throughout their innings.

DD vs RCB – May 14 2017 – Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi - RCB won by 10 runs

Bangalore bowlers had a field day at work as Harshad Patel and Pavan Negi grabbed three wickets each helping the team win a close game by 10 runs. Earlier Chris Gayle’s chipped in with 48 and Virat Kohli hit a fifty which resulted in Bangalore finishing with 161/6. Delhi’s chase was erratic and they never looked comfortable but were in the briefly when Pant was going well.

RCB vs DC – April 8 2017 – M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru – RCB won by 15 runs

The Bangalore batsmen could not play the pace attack of Zaheer Khan and Chris Morris well ending with a score of 157/8. But Delhi capitulated their response with only Rishabh Pant holding the fort with a fifty. Pavan Negi was the pick of the bowlers snapping up two wickets in an over to help his team win by 15 runs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore will not have Dale Steyn for the game which is a huge blow, and this just might tilt the game in Delhi’s favour.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2019 10:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).