In the 70th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Rajasthan Royals (RR) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati tonight, i.e., May 19, at 7:30 PM IST.
The host team has struggled to adjust to its new ground in Guwahati, as it lost by six wickets against Punjab Kings (PBKS). Overall, the team has lost four games in a row, but before entering the playoffs, the unit would like to experience a win, and what better way to do it than against the table toppers? RR tried Tom Kohler-Cadmore in place of Jos Buttler but couldn’t deliver much. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson also haven’t had a long run at the crease. Playing in his hometown, Riyan Parag showcased his best but missed the support from the other end. With the ball, the Royals still look quite strong, with Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin displaying their magic, while Avesh Khan and Sandeep Sharma are also bowling in the right line and length towards the backend of the innings.
KKR are fully set and ready to play their last game of the league stage. The unit is first on the points table and thus will play Qualifier 1 in Ahmedabad. Given how Gautam Gambhir prepares his team, the KKR will most likely only make one forced change, bringing in Rahmanullah Gurbaz instead of Phil Salt. Sunil Narine hasn’t had the finest of performances in recent games, but that won’t prevent him from doing what he does best. Furthermore, the key middle-order batters, Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Venkatesh Iyer have performed well this season, but fans will undoubtedly want to see them at their best, as the league enters its final stages. The addition of Nitish Rana will also be a massive boost, while Ramandeep Singh’s handy knocks will also be crucial. With the ball, Varun Chakaravarthy and Narine have been lethal in the middle overs, with Rana and Andre Russell being bold in the death overs. Mitchell Starc has showcased his brilliance in a few games but has failed to deliver on a regular basis. Nonetheless, he will be once again up to help KKR.
Head-to-Head:
Historically, there have been 29 meetings between RR and KKR, in which both sides have won 14 matches each with one washout. Notably, earlier in the season, RR beat KKR by two wickets.
Where-to-Watch:
OTT: JioCinema