The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 reaches a critical juncture tonight as Rajasthan Royals (RR) clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad at 7:30 PM IST.
RR enter the contest having finished third on the league table. However, their momentum has stalled after losing their last four matches and one being abandoned due to rain. Conversely, RCB are in red-hot form, riding a six-match winning streak that propelled them to a fourth-place finish.
The two teams met once in the round-robin stage, with RR emerging victorious by six wickets. However, the recent form suggests a clear advantage for RCB. Their batting has been firing on all cylinders, with the duo of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis providing explosive starts. Rajat Patidar‘s mid-innings power-hitting coupled with the finishing prowess of Cameron Green and Dinesh Karthik has propelled RCB’s run rate to a tournament-high 11.03 in the second half of the season. Their batting depth and current form pose a significant threat to the Royals.
RR will pin their hope on their bowling attack, especially Trent Boult, who has a knack for picking up early wickets. Sandeep Sharma, with his excellent record against RCB (26 wickets in 18 games), could be a crucial weapon up front.
RR’s batting success hinges heavily on skipper Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag, who have enjoyed successful partnerships in the past. However, the absence of Jos Buttler due to national duty creates a significant void at the top. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Samson have struggled for runs recently. The onus will be on Parag, who has been in decent form, to anchor the batting order. The potential return of Shimron Hetmyer from injury could provide a much-needed boost to the struggling lineup.
Head-to-Head:
Historically, the head-to-head record is close with RCB’s 15 wins to RR’s 13. The Bengaluru team has dominated since 2020 as well, with a 7-3 record against the Rajasthan side.
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