Rajasthan look to maintain winning run against resurgent LSG
KL Rahul’s side is also on a high ater two successive wins, but the Indian player knows the shortcomings in the top order
High-flying Rajasthan Royals will look to continue their winning momentum and consolidate their position at the top when they take on a resurgent Lucknow Super Giants, who would be gunning for revenge at home in an IPL match on Saturday.
Former champions RR have looked in ominous form this season with seven wins from eight games, and they could be a tough nut to crack for LSG.
LSG, meanwhile, too have played some good cricket and are placed fourth with five wins from eight games.
But going into Saturday’s match, RR would certainly be the favourites as they have registered a hat-trick of victories ater a rare blip against Gujarat Titans.
Assam bater Riyan Parag has been the flavour of the season for RR in the bating department. The youngster reinvented himself and has been the team’s highest scorer with 318 runs from eight games.
The return to form of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was struggling a bit this season, has further strengthened RR’S bating. While chasing a 180-run target in the last game against Mumbai Indians, Jaiswal smashed an unbeaten 104 off 60 balls to power his side to a comfortable nine-wicket win.
Jaiswal’s return to form is something RR’S opponents should really be worried about given the devastation the youngster and Jos Butler can wreak at the top of the order.
RR’S bating typically revolves around skipper Sanju Samson, who has scored 314 runs so far, and with West Indian Shimron Hetymer capable of hiting top gear, the 2008 IPL champions have a potent lineup.
The likes of Rovman Powell and Dhruv Jurel, though, need to contribute more.
RR also boast of a potent bowling atack comprising the experienced Trent Boult, Avesh Khan and Sandeep Sharma, whose 5 for 18 against Mumbai Indians has really fired up the side.
The team’s spin department is also in the safe hands of the experienced duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and R. Ashwin, although the later has struggled this season.
Chahal, however, is RR’S best bowler with 13 wickets from eight games.
LSG, on the other hand, would be seeking revenge ater having lost the first tie to RR by 20 runs this season.
Besides revenge, LSG would look to register a hat-trick of victories aand scale up in the leaderboard. KL Rahul’s side is also on a high ater two successive win, but the India player knows the shortcomings in the top order.
When Rahul and his opening partner Quinton de Kock are on fire, LSG’S bating looks ominous. The problem arises when the opening duo has an off day.
That area was, however, covered by Marcus Stoinis in their last game against Chennai Super Kings, where the Australian scored an unbeaten century. Despite losing Rahul and de Kock early in the chase of 210/4, Stoinis played one of the best knocks in this IPL, remaining unbeaten on 124 off 63 balls to hand LSG a six-wicket win.
Stoinis’ return to form augurs well for LSG middle-order, where the likes of Devdut Padikkal, Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda need to take up more responsibility.
DELHI EYE ANOTHER VICTORY AGAINST INCONSISTENT MUMBAI: Having suffered two defeats in their last three matches, an inconsistent Mumbai Indians have their task cut out if they are to make the play-offs when they face a confident Delhi Capitals in an aternoon game at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.
The last time these two teams met in the tournament, Mumbai made a massive 234/5 at the Wankhede Stadium on April 7 and managed to restrict Delhi to 205/8 for securing a 29-run win, their first of the competition.
But Mumbai come into Saturday’s game on the back of suffering a nine-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur and find themselves at the eighth place. A win against Delhi will set the base for their late revival in the competition, something which is now their hallmark.