Delhi Daredevils host Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Feroz Shah Kotla in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday evening, with the visitors keen on clinching a win to keep their chances of making it to the play-offs alive.

DD V RCB
IPL

Where to Watch Live

The match starts at 3.30pm BST, with ITV 4 and ITV 4 HD providing live coverage in the UK. Follow the game live, via text commentary, on ESPN Cricinfo. You can watch the highlights of the match here.

Overview

Delhi Daredevils are out of the race for a spot in the knock-out stages but the capital side can still play king-maker. Sri Lankan veteran and Daredevils' captain Mahela Jayawardene has apologised to the side's fans for poor performances this season and will want a spirited game from his players in this home tie.

Delhi come into this game after a massive nine wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals in their last game, a match that saw Australian Ben Rohrer provide the sole bright spot. The 32-year-old powered 64 off 40 balls to take the Daredevils to 154/4.

The bowlers may not have had much to work with but poor spells from Umesh Yadav and Morne Morkel, who conceded 68 runs from their seven overs, meant Delhi had little chance of winning. And superb batting from openers Rahul Dravid and Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 108 off 13.4 overs before the first wicket fell, meant they had no chance whatsoever. Shane Watson's 28 off 14 balls mopped up the win for the Royals.

Delhi and Pune Warriors prop the IPL table, with only five wins between them. Delhi's main objective, then, will be to avoid finish absolute last.

The Royal Challengers looked certain to finish second only a few weeks ago but three defeats in the last five games - crucial ones to Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan and Mumbai Indians - means they now face a critical period.

Bangalore were beaten by Punjab in their last game and have slipped to fourth; they are ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad only on Net Run Rate. A win in this game, and they must surely be favourites, will boost them back up the table, with Mumbai set to play Pune in a derby on Saturday.

The Royal Challengers will probably feel hard-done from their last game. Cheteshwar Pujara, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers combined to hit 150 off 100 balls to help the side to 190/3 off 20 overs. And a win seemed assured after Murali Kartik, R Vinay Kumar and Ravi Rampaul reduced Punjab to 64/4.

But then David Miller did to Bangalore what Gayle did to Pune, smashing a century off only 38 balls. The Australian's unbeaten 101 gave Punjab a thoroughly unexpected win.

The Challengers won the reverse fixture via a Super Over and are on a four-match winning streak against Delhi.

Team Form

Delhi Daredevils

  • Last Five (most recent first): L L W W L
  • Last Match: Rajasthan Royals beat Delhi Daredevils by nine wickets

Royal Challengers Bangalore

  • Last Five (most recent first): L W L L W
  • Last Match: Kings XI Punjab beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets