It’s time for the northern derby as Rajasthan Royals will take on Punjab Kings in the 8th match of the Indian Premier League. Sanju Samson led Rajasthan Royals got off to a magnificent start this season with a splendid victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings stunned Kolkata Knight Riders in their first match to start their campaign on a high. It was a rain-affected battle but the Knight Riders just couldn’t see themselves in a good state throughout. Power-hitter Andre Russell did his best in the end but they were still short of 7 runs when the rain became the spoilsport.
With Punjab taking on Rajasthan now, all eyes would be on some impactful power hitters including Jos Buttler, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Shahrukh Khan at the ACA Stadium in Barsapara, Guwahati.
What have they done so far?
The Royals defeated the Orange Army by 72 runs with the help of Jos Buttler’s fireworks in Hyderabad. Skipper Samson scored a well-deserved fifty as well. While Buttler scored a quickfire 22-ball 54, Samson, on the other side, smashed 55 runs off just 32 deliveries.
Trent Boult’s yorkers and Yuzvendra Chahal’s flighted deliveries were enough for Rajasthan to stun Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Co. In the end, Jos Buttler was awarded player of the match for his cracker of an innings.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings faced Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening match and won it with ease by 7 runs (DLS method). The leader Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh started off with a bang but the latter got out after a quick 23. Dhawan’s innings was a mature one as he made 40 off 29 balls but it was Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who stole the show for Punjab with his splendid 50 off just 32 deliveries.
Arshdeep Singh was top-notch in the bowling department as he picked up 3 wickets for just 19 runs in his 3 overs. Rahul Chahar, Nathan Ellis and Sikandar Raza picked up one each.
Head to Head Record
Punjab Kings are nowhere close to the Orange Army in terms of head-to-head record. In 19 matches so far, the Sunrisers have won 13 times whereas the Kings could only win on 6 occasions. But, in a tournament like IPL, each team can be better than the other on particular days.
While Sunrisers would want to continue their dominance over Punjab, Shikhar Dhawan & Co. would like to end their bad phase against Hyderabad. Undoubtedly, it is going to be a crucial match for both sides.
Key Players
Arshdeep Singh picked up 3 wickets for 19 runs in the first match against KKR
Arshdeep Singh (Punjab Kings): We all know how fruitful this bowler can be in the death overs and this is what Punjab Kings are looking for. They are known to spend a lot of runs in the end and Arshdeep Singh is one of the few bowlers who will be crucial for the side.
In the first match of the ongoing IPL, the left-arm fast bowler took 3 wickets to dismantle the KKR line-up. He has been a good outswing bowler and also knows how to bowl reverse swing. What made him an impact player this time is his experience of playing for India. Arshdeep has played for the country now and is a more mature bowler. The 24-year-old knows what to bowl Jos Buttler or Sanju Samson in what situation.
Jos Buttler(Rajasthan Royals): The battle between Jos Buttler and Punjab Kings bowlers will not be less than any treat. Bowlers like Arshadeep Singh, Sam Curran and Rahul Chahar would be looking to send him back early. Buttler was phenomenal in the first game where he scored a tremendous half-century to win the Player of the Match award against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In his next target, England’s limited-overs skipper will look to hammer in a similar way. Buttler’s fine performance is a big boost for Rajasthan and his ability to score quickly up the order gives RR a chance always to score big.
Predicted XIs
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson ©, Devdutt Padikkal, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan ©, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Nathan Ellis, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
Prediction
Both Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings won their first encounter, however, the victory of Rajasthan was more dominant when they outclassed the Sunrisers by 72 runs. The win over Hyderabad must have given them enough confidence for the next few battles.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings are a bit weaker than the Royals on paper but have all the ability to come out well. For this game, Samson’s Rajasthan Royals have a better chance of being victorious.