IPL 2016: RCB vs GL – Virat Kohli vs Praveen Kumar, AB de Villiers vs Dwayne Bravo and other contests to watch out for

Bengaluru: In a much-awaited encounter, Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Gujarat Lions in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League 2016 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Besides having the home advantage, RCB would be brimming with confidence considering the way they have fought against all odds to cruise into the play-offs.

On the other hand, irrespective of where they go from here on, Gujarat Lions would be very proud of the way they have performed in what is their maiden appearance in the cash-rich tournament.

Both the teams comprise some world class players and the crowd for sure can expect entertainment worth their money.

Here are some of the contests to watch out for in today's match:

Virat Kohli vs Praveen Kumar: While Kohli is in the form of his life, Praveen Kumar is still one of those rare Indian bowlers, who can swing the ball both ways. While it is crucial from RCB's perspective that Kohli continues his good run, Gujarat think tank would want PK to use all his experience and remove the RCB skipper early.

AB de Villiers vs Dwayne Bravo: Both of them are masters of their trades in the shortest format of the game. While AB, fondly known as 'Mr 360 degree', has breathtaking shots in his repertoire, Bravo is the best death bowler in the tournament. The contest between these two could also light up today's match.

Chris Jordan vs Aaron Finch: After a great start to the tournament, Finch has looked off-colour in the last few matches for the Lions. On the other hand, Jordan has slowly gained rhythm ever since he was included in the RCB squad. In such a high-voltage match, they too will make for an exciting battle.

Suresh Raina vs Yuzvendra Chahal: Yuzi, as he is fondly known among his team-mates, is currently the purple cap holder in the tournament with 19 wickets. Raina, on the other hand, remains to be the highest run-getter in the tournament history. Since the left-hander loves to have a go at tweakers, it remains to be seen whether Chahal can contain him from scoring boundaries at will.