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IPL 2026: Why KKR can stun RCB in Raipur
12 May 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 57 of IPL 2026 on Wednesday.

The game, starting 7:30pm IST, will be played at Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.

RCB are currently in the top two with seven wins, while KKR have made a terrific comeback, winning their last four games.

The Knight Riders will surpass seventh-placed Delhi Capitals with another win.

Pitch favors KKR
Match dynamics

The first IPL 2026 match in Raipur was a low-scoring thriller, and the pitch is expected to be slow and low for Wednesday's game. Anything between 170 and 180 would be an ideal total to defend.

On such a surface, KKR have a safe spin-bank in Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. The duo can be brought in early to remove the RCB top order.

While Virat Kohli is coming off two successive ducks, Jacob Bethell is yet to fire.

RCB have a superior pace attack
Team performance

KKR suddenly look a team to beat, having won their last four games.

Moreover, Finn Allen is peaking at the right time. His blazing form might give KKR an early edge over the defending champions.

However, RCB have a superior pace attack. Both Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood have been decimating the oppositions this season.

They could trigger KKR's early collapse.

What's the head-to-head record?
Fact

Over the years, the KKR-RCB rivalry has been nothing short of thrilling. In their previous encounters, KKR have won 20 of the 35 head-to-head matches. And RCB have emerged victorious on 15 occasions, as per ESPNcricinfo.