In Match 65 of the 2024 Indian Premier League season, the table toppers Rajasthan Royals will take on Punjab Kings at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday.
PBKS is ranked 10th in the points table with 8 points from 12 games, and they are already eliminated from the playoff race. The Sam Curran-led side has nothing to lose, so they will be looking to go all out in their remaining games.
RR is ranked 2nd in the points table with 16 points in 12 games and just one win away from qualification. The Royals looked invincible from the start of the season, and they would be hoping to finish in the top two by continuing their great momentum.
What has happened so far?
The team captained by Sanju Samson started their season brilliantly, winning five out of their first six games. Following that, the Royals won three consecutive games, but their momentum faded as they lost their last three games.
In their most recent game against the Chennai Super Kings, apart from Riyan Parag, none of their batters were able to score runs on a tough Chepauk surface, and they posted a below-par target of 142 runs. In response, CSK batters comfortably chased it down, and RR lost the match by 5 wickets.
On the other hand, PBKS has had a forgettable season so far, winning just two out of their first eight games. However, the Kings did turn things around by winning two games on the trot but they faced defeat in their last two games.
In their last encounter against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Challengers’ batters performed exceptionally well to put up a mammoth target of 241 runs. In reply, apart from Rilee Rossouw and Shashank Singh, no other batters scored runs, and PBKS lost the match by 60 runs.
Head to Head Record
Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals have competed in 27 IPL matches, with RR winning 16 of these 27 games, while PBKS has managed to win 11 of the fixtures. They have competed in just one game at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati in which the Kings came out victorious.
The Royals registered a thrilling victory by 3 wickets over the Punjab Kings in the match played at PBKS’ home ground earlier this season.
Key Players
Shashank Singh (Punjab Kings): Shashank Singh has been a vital player for the Kings in their middle order. He has scored 352 runs at an average of 58.66 and an incredible strike rate of 168.42.
Notably, he has played two crucial 60-plus run innings, both resulting in successful 200-plus run chases for the Punjab Kings. The victories for his team were greatly aided by his quick-fire knocks of 61* off 29 balls against the Gujarat Titans and 68* off 28 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Sanju Samson has had a great season as a captain and player so far
Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals): Sanju Samson is fifth on the list of IPL 2024’s top run scorers with 486 runs at an average of 60.75 and a stunning strike rate of 158.31. He will be keen to maintain his fantastic form.
Throughout the IPL 2024 season, he has been a notable performer for the Royals. His ability to consistently score runs has been crucial in supporting his team’s batting lineup, demonstrating his skill as a dependable middle-order batter. Samson’s powerful stroke play and ability to anchor the innings have made him a key asset for his team.
Team News from Both Camps
Rajasthan Royals would be missing the services of Jos Buttler for their last two league games in Guwahati and the playoffs as well. Tom Kohler-Cadmore has a brilliant opportunity to fill in for a fellow Englishman for the next two weeks. Shimron Hetmyer has been absent for two matches now and it is unlikely that he will be risked unless cleared 100% fit by the medical staff.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings has the biggest English contingent and their stand-in skipper Sam Curran along with Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone would be departing for the 4-match T20I series against Pakistan. Shikhar Dhawan’s fitness continues to trouble the Kings and Jitesh Sharma might lead PBKS for the first time in his IPL career.
Predicted XIs
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson © (wk), Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma © (wk), Sikandar Raza, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Vidhwath Kaverappa
Prediction
Both teams are coming into this game after losing their last game so they would be hoping to get back to winning ways. RR has the upper hand over PBKS in the head-to-head record and they will be aiming to seal the place in the playoffs.
All things considered, a fantastic cricket match is anticipated in Guwahati on Wednesday evening.