In the 65th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Rajasthan Royals (RR) will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati tonight, i.e., May 15, at 7:30 PM IST.
Yesterday’s outcome, in which Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lost against Delhi Capitals (DC), allowed RR to qualify for the playoffs with 16 points. The Royals are second in points tally, and a win today would very probably seal Qualifier 1 berth for them. The unit has been on a slump, having lost its previous three games, and will seek to rediscover its form and clinch some games before the playoffs begin. The departure of Jos Buttler will also have an impact on them; however, this may provide a chance for Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who was acquired as the former’s backup. The team will also rely significantly on Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, and others to perform well. Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal will aim to continue their dominance with the ball, while the pace attack of Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, and Avesh Khan will also be effective.
For the ousted PBKS, the game is now another opportunity to see what the unit can do before the next IPL auction. The team could possibly go without a fit Shikhar Dhawan, giving Prabhsimran Singh another chance to prove himself. The likes of Jonny Bairstow, and Rilee Rossouw will also be crucial at the top, while some quality knocks by Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Ashutosh Sharma will be helpful. PBKS bowling also has excellent players such as Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, and skipper Sam Curran, but it just didn’t work enough for the team to add a Q to its name in the rankings.
Head-to-Head:
In the head-to-head matchup, the two teams have played each other 27 times, with Rajasthan winning 16 and Punjab winning 11. In their last outing this season, RR won the game by three wickets.
Where-to-watch:
TV: Star Sports Network
OTT: JioCinema