
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have a chance to enter the IPL 2022 playoffs. After 13 games, they are at 14 points with 7 seven wins and need to win their remaining fixture -- versus Gujarat Titans (GT) -- and also hope for the other strongest contender, to take the fourth spot, i.e. Delhi Capitals (DC) to lose their remaining encounter.
While RCB's fate in the ongoing season isn't decided yet, their fans would be hoping for them to break their trophy drought, since the inaugural edition, and finally lift the elusive IPL title this time around. Before this, they have played three finals -- in 2009, 2011 and 2016 -- but always ended second. Talking about the IPL 2016 final, RCB played at home -- at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru -- versus David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and had made a miraculous comeback after a forgettable start. With momentum on their side and then captain Virat Kohli breathing fire with the bat, with over 900 runs prior to the final, many thought it would be RCB's win. Nonetheless, SRH won by eight runs in a high-scoring affair.
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Recalling the finale, then RCB all-rounder and now DC's assistant coach Shane Watson said, "2016 final which I played with RCB was something I was just shattered about. Because I know how much it meant to RCB to win that final. It was at home at Chinnaswamy. RCB had played so well all year, at the backend of that tournament in particular."
“Virat in particular was on fire. It was his chance, one of the greatest players, to win that elusive IPL title as captain. And bowling that one over just shattered me. It just got it wrong and I felt like the end of time,” the ex-Australian all-rounder stated on the DC podcast.
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Talking about the IPL 2016 final, Hyderbad rode on skipper David Warner's 69 and finishing knocks from Yuvraj Singh-Ben Cutting to post 208-7 in 20 overs. Chris Jordan and Sreenath Aravind were the pick of the bowlers for Bengaluru but Watson conceded 61 runs in four overs, including a highly expensive final over. In reply, RCB were in the hunt courtesy Chris Gayle's 76 and Kohli's 54 before they were restricted for 200-7in 20 overs.