The ongoing IPL 2024 sees Rajasthan Royals facing off against Punjab Kings at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati for the 65th game of the tournament on Wednesday, May 15.
Rajasthan currently holds second place in the standings, boasting eight wins and four losses in 12 matches, accumulating 16 points and nearing qualification.
Conversely, Punjab Kings have been eliminated from the tournament, securing four wins and suffering eight losses, placing them in 10th position and marking the second team to exit the competition.
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RR vs PBKS: Match Preview
There’s no direct flight connecting Jaipur to Guwahati, meaning the quickest journey between the two cities spans 4 hours and 15 minutes. Initially, the idea of traveling so far east for what’s essentially a “home” game might seem perplexing for Rajasthan Royals. However, as Riyan Parag addressed the media on the eve of the match, speaking confidently about his familiarity with the conditions to a packed room, it felt more like a home game than expected.
While much of the Rajasthan Royals squad may lack firsthand knowledge of the venue, the Barsapara Cricket Stadium has gone above and beyond to ensure they feel at home. From giant hoardings to underlit roof canopies and even the table mats, everything is adorned in pink, perfectly aligning with the color that Rajasthan Royals have made their own. Yet, there lingers a sense that the team will be playing some 2000 kilometers away from their traditional home.
This sensation of being so near yet so far is not new to Rajasthan Royals this season. Despite being in a prime position to secure a spot in the Playoffs, they faltered by losing three consecutive matches. Nevertheless, they remain the favorites to secure qualification even before taking the field, although they’ve been guilty of faltering at the final hurdle. As Parag noted, the defeats haven’t necessarily meant that his side has “done everything wrong” in those games. Perhaps a change of venue, with the promise of high scores after Chennai, couldn’t have come at a better time.
Despite initially being in a strong position to lead the points table, Rajasthan Royals now face the looming threat of slipping out of the top two spots, or even being eliminated altogether, following three consecutive defeats towards the crucial stage of the tournament. Currently holding 16 points, the Royals are vulnerable as four other teams are within reach, necessitating one or two victories to secure a top-two finish in the league phase.
The departure of Jos Buttler for England’s T20 World Cup duty has further complicated the team’s path to the playoffs. Additionally, there is uncertainty surrounding Shimron Hetmyer’s recovery after missing the last two games due to injury. Rovman Powell, who struggled to finish chases against Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, was even excluded as an Impact Player in the match against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.
To address the void left by Buttler at the top of the order, the Royals could consider bringing in Tom Kohler-Cadmore from the bench or promoting Dhruv Jurel up the batting order. Kohler-Cadmore, although a regular in various T20 leagues worldwide, is yet to feature in a T20 match in India. Similarly, while Jurel frequently opens for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, his experience opening the batting in T20 cricket is limited, having done so only once.
For the eliminated Punjab Kings, playing a match with no implications on their qualification might feel like a recurring disappointment, considering it’s been a decade since they last made it to the Playoffs – the longest wait among all teams.
Nonetheless, they find themselves in this situation, and all they may seek from this match is to replicate last year’s performance when they defeated Rajasthan Royals at the same venue by five runs. Fortunately, they come into this game with victories in their last three away fixtures – Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Chennai – and much of their strategy will revolve around making this encounter as challenging as possible for Rajasthan Royals on their “home” turf.
Punjab Kings’ hopes for making it to the playoffs have vanished, leaving them with the sole motivation of evading the bottom position in the standings.
In Terms Of Recent Form:
Delhi Capitals LWLWW
Lucknow Super Giants LLWLW
RR vs PBKS: Pitch Report & Conditions
The pitch at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati is conducive to batting, offering favorable conditions for high scores. Given the batting-friendly nature of the surface, teams winning the toss may consider opting to bat first as a strategic move.
This match marks the first of two fixtures in Guwahati for IPL 2024. Since 2021, only two IPL games have been held at this venue, with the team batting first emerging victorious on both occasions. Despite forecasts of thunderstorms during the day, there is a possibility of improved weather conditions later in the evening.
Guwahati, characterized by its shiny black-soil pitches, has recently emerged as a high-scoring venue despite relatively short boundaries measuring 70 meters square. In the last four T20 matches held here, the average first-inning total has hovered slightly above 213. Riyan Parag anticipates a continuation of this trend for the upcoming match, attributing much of the scoring potential to the influence of dew, which he considers to be a significant factor. The impact of dew was notably evident in the previous T20I played at this venue, where India’s formidable total of 222/3 proved insufficient against Australia, with Glenn Maxwell leading the charge.
RR vs PBKS: Head-to-head
- Matches Played: 27
- Rajasthan Royals won: 16
- Punjab Kings won: 11
- No Result: 00
- First Played: April 13, 2024
- Last Played: April 21, 2008
RR vs PBKS: Team News and Impact Player Strategy
Rajasthan Royals
In terms of team news and Impact Player strategy, Rajasthan Royals may introduce Kohler-Cadmore for his IPL debut on Wednesday, unless they opt to utilize Jurel as an opener instead. The team might consider fielding just three overseas players – Boult, Hetmyer (if fit), and Kohler-Cadmore initially, with the potential for Powell or Burger to be brought in later as Impact Players, depending on the match dynamics and prevailing conditions.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s resurgence has been a notable highlight for Rajasthan Royals, particularly in the spin department at the start of the season. However, the performance of their spinners has gradually declined as the season progressed. Compared to the first six games, their average has nearly doubled, and the economy rate has increased by almost two-and-a-half points. Despite Ravichandran Ashwin’s recent success with five wickets in the last two matches, this decline is an area Rajasthan Royals are keen to address and regain their peak form in.
Predicted XII:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Tom Kohler-Cadmore
- Sanju Samson (captain, wicketkeeper)
- Riyan Parag
- Dhruv Jurel
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Trent Boult
- Avesh Khan
- Sandeep Sharma
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Nandre Burger/Rovman Powell/Keshav Maharaj
Punjab Kings
For Punjab Kings, Liam Livingstone has exited the IPL to address his knee concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup. However, his fellow Englishmen, Sam Curran and Johnny Bairstow, remain available for this fixture before joining the England squad. Vidwath Kaverappa, the swing bowler from Karnataka, is likely to feature again as an Impact Player, with Punjab Kings expected to substitute him with a specialist batsman.
Similar to Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings would also seek an elevated performance from their spinners. While they played pivotal roles in victories at Chepauk and Mullanpur, and have generally maintained economical figures this season, they have encountered difficulties in consistently making breakthroughs during the middle overs.
Predicted XII:
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Johnny Bairstow (wicketkeeper)
- Rilee Rossouw
- Shashank Singh
- Jitesh Sharma
- Ashutosh Sharma
- Sam Curran (captain)
- Harshal Patel
- Kagiso Rabada
- Rahul Chahar
- Arshdeep Singh
- Vidwath Kaverappa/Harpreet Brar
RR vs PBKS: Players Under The Spotlight
RR- Riyan Parag
In the spotlight for Rajasthan Royals is Riyan Parag. Known for his recent remarkable feat of seven consecutive fifties in the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy for Assam, Parag returns to Guwahati for his third IPL match at the venue. Despite managing only 20 runs at No.6 against PBKS last season in Guwahati, Parag now has an opportunity to make a bigger impact, especially considering his recent form at No.4. He stands just a hundred runs shy of drawing level with Ruturaj Gaikwad as the second-highest run-scorer this season, with Virat Kohli leading the chart having scored over 600 runs.
PBKS- Jitesh Sharma
For Punjab Kings, Jitesh Sharma takes the spotlight. Initially considered India’s incumbent T20 keeper-batter, Sharma’s form has taken a significant dip, leading to his exclusion from the upcoming T20 World Cup squad. With only 133 runs scored in ten innings at an average of 13.30 and a strike rate below 125, Sharma finds himself struggling. His strike rate ranks third lowest among batters who have played at least ten innings this IPL, trailing behind Sam Curran and Ajinkya Rahane. The question remains whether Sharma can improve his performance and conclude this season on a high note.
RR vs PBKS: Match Prediction
Scenario 1:
- Rajasthan Royals win the toss and bat
- Power Play score: 70-80
- First Innings Score: 215-225
- Prediction: Rajasthan Royals win the match
Scenario 2:
- Punjab Kings win the toss and bat
- Power Play score: 60-70
- First Innings Score: 200-210
- Prediction: Rajasthan Royals win the match
RR vs PBKS: Dream 11 Fantasy Prediction
Team 1:
- Keeper: Sanju Samson (C), Jonny Bairstow
- Batsman: Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh
- All-rounders: Ravichandran Ashwin, Sam Curran
- Bowlers: Avesh Khan, Rahul Chahar, Harshal Patel (VC)
Team 2:
- Keeper: Sanju Samson (C), Prabhsimran Singh
- Batsman: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rilee Rossouw (VC), Shashank Singh
- All-rounders: Ravichandran Ashwin, Riyan Parag
- Bowlers: Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh
When and Where to Watch the Match: Streaming & Broadcast Details
What: Rajasthan Royals (RR) vs Punjab Kings (PBKS), IPL 2024
When: 7:30 PM IST, Wednesday – May 15
Where: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
Where to watch RR vs PBKS Live Streaming: JioCinema app for FREE
Where to watch RR vs PBKS Live Telecast: Star Sports
