IPL 2021, RCB vs PBKS Stats and Records preview: Rahul, De Villiers close in on milestones

Bengaluru, October 3: Play-off aspirants, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings clash in Match 48 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Sunday (October 3).

Virat Kohli-led RCB, who sit in third place with 14 points from 11 matches, and fifth-placed KL Rahul's PBKS, who are on 10 points from 12 matches, come into the first match of Sunday's double-header on the back of a win.

While RCB are fresh from back to back wins against Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals that pushed them to win from confirming a play-off spot, PBKS defeated Kolkata Knight Riders, who are also on 10 points from 10 matches, to stay alive in the race for top four.

In the second phase of IPL 2021, RCB have registered two wins and two defeats, while PBKS have also are on a similar run wining two and losing two against MI and RR.

Kohli and co opened the UAE leg with defeats to Chennai Super Kings and KKR, but bounced back with successive wins against MI and RR. Rahul's side have, on the other alternated results with victories coming against SRH and KKR.

As for the head-to-head battle, PBKS are ahead with 15 wins against RCB, who have won 12 of their 27 meetings between the two teams in IPL so far. Rahul's PBKS also won the reverse fixture of IPL 2021 by 34 runs.

In the 27 matches between the two franchises, who have never won the IPL title so far, PBKS have won 9 times when chasing and 6 times when batting first. RCB, meanwhile, have 6 times when chasing and 6 times when batting first.

In the last 5 meetings, PBKS have won 3 times including the previous time the two sides clashed at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the venue where they will play on Sunday (October 3).

In fact, PBKS have beaten RCB in the last 3 meetings, twice when batting first and their victory in Sharjah came when chasing. Kohli's side, however, did the double over PBKS in the 2019 season.

RCB's highest score against PBKS is 226 and the Punjab-based franchise's highest total against the Bangalore-based side is 232. While the two sides have been part of some high-scoring contests, they have also ended some with low totals, with RCB's lowest score being 84/6 and PBKS' 88 all out in 2015 season.

Here is a look at some interesting stats and the players approaching milestones ahead of RCB vs PBKS:

▶ Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul (2411) is 67 runs away from overtaking Shaun Marsh (2477) as the leading scorer for the Punjab-based franchise. The Indian batter is also 11 runs away from completing 500 runs in IPL 2021.

▶ Punjab Kings all-rounder Moises Henriques if selected will have a chance to reach a milestone as the Australian is just 15 runs short of 1000 runs in IPL.

▶ Royal Challengers Bangalore's AB de Villiers is 3 maximums away from becoming the second player after Chris Gayle (357) to hit 250 sixes in IPL.

▶ Royal Challengers Bangalore's Harshal Patel, who currently wears the purple cap with 26 wickets from 11 matches this season, is 7 wickets away from overtaking Dwayne Bravo (32) for most wickets taken in a single IPL season. He is currently tied fourth on the list behind Lasith Malinga (28), Kagison Rabada (30) and Bravo.

▶ Punjab Kings opener Mayank Agarwal is 3 fours away from 200 fours in IPL.

▶ Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer Mohammed Siraj is 4 scalps away from 50 wickets in IPL.

▶ Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli is 7 fours away from 900 fours in T20 cricket (overall).

▶ 19 of the 26 wickets that Harshal Patel has picked in this edition of the Indian Premier League have come in death overs (Overs16-20); at least 10 wickets more than any bowler in the list.

▶ KL Rahul (Punjab Kings) has scored 412 runs in the Indian Premier League against Royal Challengers Bangalore, the most by any batter in the competition since 2018.

▶ Punjab Kings have won five of their six matches in the Indian Premier League played at the Sharjah Stadium; with their only loss at the venue coming against Rajasthan Royals in September 2020.

▶ Royal Challengers Bangalore are currently on a three-game losing streak in the Indian Premier League matches played at the Sharjah Stadium, their longest such streak at the venue; in fact the streak started with an eight wicket loss against the Punjab Kings in October 2020.

▶ Punjab Kings have won each of their three games in the Indian Premier League played in the United Arab Emirates against the Royal Challengers Bangalore with the last such win coming last year in October 2020 at the Sharjah Stadium.