Sharjah: Unbeaten so far, Royal Challengers Bangalore would be eyeing a hat-trick of wins to go to the top of points table even as Kolkata Knight Riders look to shakeoff their last match's disappointment when the two sides clash against each other in an IPL match here tomorrow.
The star-studded Bangalore, which boast of some of the most feared Twenty20 batsmen in their line-up, have won both their games so far.
The results have come despite the absence of the destructive Chris Gayle, who has been nursing a sore back. He, however, is expected to be fit for tomorrow's match.
In his absence, the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel and South African import A B de Villiers have made quite a statement with their efforts to show that the days of RCB being called a one-man show are over.
A slight concern has been skipper Virat Kohli, who is yet to hit the groove, but given his reputation, the lean patch is
not expected to last too long.
Kolkata too have a good line-up at their disposal and it too has faired well. Even though there aren't any big stars to boast of but the likes of Manish Pandey and Robin Uthappa have made their presence felt.
However, more would be expected of established players such as skipper Gautam Gambhir and South African legend Jacques Kallis. The form of both these players would be crucial in deciding how far the team manages to progress.
Besides, all-rounder Yusuf Pathan will also have to repay the faith that the team has shown in him despite a prolonged struggle for form.
