Sawt Falasteen - Kohli primed to banish years of heartache in IPL playoffs

Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru face table-toppers Punjab Kings on Thursday in Mullanpur after securing second place by chasing 228 to beat Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday.

The winners go straight into the final in Ahmedabad on June 3.

But even if Bengaluru lose that encounter, they will have another chance to reach the final against the winners of Friday's "eliminator" between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians.

The 36-year-old Kohli recently retired from Tests having already walked away from T20 internationals after India's World Cup triumph last year.

But the hunger to lift the IPL trophy still burns bright for the two-time World Cup winner, who played a leading part in India's 50-over Champions Trophy victory earlier this year.

"I had two heartbreaks in my life in 2016," Kohli told Indian broadcaster JioStar.

"First was the World T20 and then the IPL final."

Affectionately known as "King Kohli", he has scored more runs than anyone in IPL history and is the only player to have spent all 18 seasons of the league with one team since its inception in 2008.

He has been on the losing side in the final three times, in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but fans believe that it is an omen that Kohli wears number 18 on his shirt -- and that it will be 18th time lucky this year.

He has been in vintage form as he pursues his goal: his 54 on Tuesday that set up victory against Lucknow was his eighth half-century of a season in which he has made 602 runs at an average of 60.20.

- Hazlewood return -

A delay to the season caused by the conflict with Pakistan means some overseas players will be missing from the playoffs including Gujarat's Jos Buttler, who has international commitments with England.

But Australia pace bowler Josh Hazlewood returned to the Bengaluru squad on Sunday and is expected to play on Thursday, having left when the IPL was suspended on May 9.

There had been doubts over his return because of a shoulder niggle and the playoffs clashing with preparations for Australia's World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's on June 11.

Punjab will be without left-arm quick bowler Marco Jansen, who has left to join South Africa's training camp ahead of the Test showpiece.

"Every team's missing players," Punjab head coach Ricky Ponting said.

"We'd like to think we've got good depth, and be able to cover for Marco, despite it being a big miss."

Five-time champions Mumbai, led by Hardik Pandya, seem to have been the worst hit by the extended schedule overlapping with the international calendar.

They have lost England's Will Jacks and the South African duo of Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch for their eliminator against Gujarat.

The Titans, IPL champions on their debut in 2022, have a formidable batting line-up even without Buttler.

Skipper Shubman Gill, who has taken over from the retired Rohit Sharma as Test captain, and fellow opener Sai Sudharsan are the top two on this season's batting charts, with 679 and 649 runs respectively.

Gill will take charge of India for the first time when they embark on a five-Test tour of England, starting at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20.

I.Yassin--SF-PST