A do-or-die situation confronts Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as they prepare to take on hosts Kolkata Knight Riders in match 36 of Indian Premier League 2024 at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, April 21. (Streaming | Key Battles | Prediction)
RCB have suffered six defeats in seven games, and are currently on a five-match losing streak. Not only do Faf du Plessis and Co need to arrest the slide, they also need to win all their remaining league games if they are to continue harbouring any hopes of winning their maiden IPL title.
It will be a daunting task against KKR, who have eight points from six games and are currently placed second in the IPL 2024 points table. More so in Kolkata, against what will no doubt be a vociferous home crowd.
Before the KKR vs RCB match begins, here are all the key facts and figures from the enduring rivalry, which began with the very first game of the inaugural edition of IPL.
Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Head-To-Head Record
KKR hold the upper hand in the overall head-to-head record, having won 19 of the 33 matches played between the two teams. Eleven of those games have been played at Eden Gardens, and the Kolkata franchise have won seven of them as against RCB's four victories.
In the recent past too, KKR have dominated the derby. The Shah Rukh Khan-owned team has won four of the last five face-offs, including the most recent one on March 29 in this season. Kolkata chased down Bengaluru's 183-run target with utmost ease at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, posting a dominant seven-wicket away win.
KKR Vs RCB: Highest Run-Scorers
RCB and India mainstay Virat Kohli holds the record for the most runs scored in the derby, with 944 runs from 31 innings to his name. No active player from either side is anyway near that mark, with former openers Chris Gayle and Gautam Gambhir the next best at 631 and 530 runs, respectively.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Highest Wicket-Takers
West Indian spin bowler Sunil Narine leads the charts, when it comes to most number of wickets in this match-up. Narine has taken 24 wickets from 19 games for KKR, while Yuzvendra Chahal, who now represents Rajasthan Royals, had scalped 19 wickets from 17 matches while playing for RCB in the fixture.
RCB Vs KKR: Highest Individual Score
Who can forget Brendon McCullum's murderous assault against hapless RCB bowlers on the opening night of the first-ever IPL edition? McCullum, then in black and gold colours, smashed an astonishing unbeaten 73-ball 158 that set the foundation for KKR's whopping 140-run win in match 1 of IPL 2008. Gayle too has scored a century in the derby, an undefeated 102 to his name in IPL 2011.
Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Best Bowling Figures
Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has the best bowling figures ever recorded in this rivalry. The 32-year-old leg-break bowler produced figures of 4/15 in match 9 of IPL 2023, which led to KKR beating RCB by 81 runs. Wanindu Hasaranga, who has been ruled out of IPL 2024 due to injury, has the next best figures of 4/20, while playing for the Bengaluru (then known as Royal Challengers Bangalore) franchise.
