Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star batter Rinku Singh got his bat signed by former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Virat Kohli at the Eden Gardens on the eve of their high-voltage IPL 2024 clash. The duo met each other during the training session on Saturday evening. While Kohli has been among runs in this IPL, Rinku for that matter hasn’t been able to replicate his heroics from the previous season. With 361 runs in seven innings, Kohli is currently the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2024.

On the other hand, aware that they cannot afford any more slip-ups, RCB will have their task cut out on Sunday. RCB’s pursuit of a maiden IPL title has once again hit a roadblock following six losses in seven matches. With five consecutive defeats, the bottom-ranked RCB now confront the daunting task of winning their remaining seven games to keep their playoff prospects alive.

For a side that has been severely let down by their bowlers and relies heavily on the batting prowess of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and veteran Dinesh Karthik, facing KKR presents a significant challenge. The home side will also be coming on the back of a defeat to Rajasthan Royals in a last-ball finish.

So KKR, who have played one match less then RCB, will also eye a return to winning ways and inch closer to playoffs by taking their tally to 10 points at the midway stage. The biggest threat for RCB will be Narine, not just with the ball but also with the bat at the top of the order.

Narine, who scored his maiden T20 century in their last match against RR, is KKR’s leading run-getter this season with 276 runs at an incredible strike rate of over 187. The next best KKR batter is his opening partner Phil Salt, who has struck at a rate of 151-plus.

The pair’s splendid form means that the likes of Rinku Singh, Andre Russell have got limited opportunities. With a maiden fifty to his name, youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi has impressed with his batting.

RCB will have to target the KKR top-three to expose their batting and give themselves some chance. With the city in the grip of an extreme heat wave, the temperature is expected to soar to 41-degree Centigrade come Sunday.