IPL 9: Reasons - Why Virat Kohli-led RCB can't win today's tie against Kolkata!

RCB have to win all three three remaining league games to make it to the playoffs.

New Delhi: For Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) today's tie against Kolkata Knight Riders is do-or-die match.

RCB, who are standing at sixth spot after five wins in eleven games, have to win all three three remaining league games to make it to the playoffs.

However, even after beating Gujarat Lions by record 144 runs in their last game, chances of RCB to beat Kolkata today are slim.

Here are the reasons:

Even after having an intimidating batting line up, Bangalore have a mediocre bowling attack, which has failed to even defend 180-plus scores on many occasions this season. With such pedestrian bowling, it's difficult for RCB to stop the in-form top order of KKR.

In Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine and Shakib Al Hasan, Gambhir has three premier spin bowlers at his disposal, who can make life worse for a batsman even in the shortest format of the game. Considering the form Chawla is in, he can even give Kohli and AB de Villiers a run for their money. If that's not enough, then Andre Russell, Morne Morkel and Brad Hogg are also in the squad.

KKR is well settled squad and are playing at their home ground Eden Gardens. Apart from having in-form openers in Gambhir and Robin Uthappa, they have big hitters like Suryakumar Yadav, Russell and Yusuf Pathan too in their batting line up, who can change the course of the match single-handedly.

And even against all-the odds, if under-pressure RCB manage to beat KKR in today's tie then it would be an incredible win for Kohli & Co.