Rajasthan Royals' challenge to regain form after four losses
| Date | May 19, 2024 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati |
| Format | T20 |
| Series | Indian Premier League, 2024 |
Betting Odds
Our Predictions
- Yashasvi Jaiswal has odds of 3.20 to be Rajasthan Royals' best batsman.
- Shreyas Iyer has odds of 3.65 to be Kolkata Knight Riders' best batsman.
- Yuzvendra Chahal has odds of 3.25 to be Rajasthan Royals' best batsman
- Mitchell Starc has odds of 3.35 to be Kolkata Knight Riders' best bowler
MATCH PREVIEW
It is the final league match in the Indian Premier League 2024. The Rajasthan Royals, who have struggled after an excellent first half, shall be up against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 70th game. The Royals lost the last game against the Punjab Kings, their fourth consecutive loss. The odds have dropped for the hosts with a string of failures, and they will look to win this game and enter the playoffs with a bang. The Kolkata Knight Riders are in excellent form but lost against the Rajasthan Royals earlier in the season. With both teams having strong batting lineups, we expect a close contest.
Rajasthan Royals Preview
Sanju Samson's team has lost steam in the most crucial phase of the tournament. Four losses in a row for the side that dominated the points table in the first half of the season has brought down their odds on cricket betting apps. They went down against the Punjab Kings in the last game by 5 wickets. While they are already through to the next round, Samson will look for a big win to regain their confidence ahead of the playoffs.
Jos Buttler's absence from this game is a big loss for the team. Yashasvi Jaiswal must deliver a good start with Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Samson and Riyan Parag have done well in the middle order and will look to add runs with Dhruv Jurel. Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, and Ravichandran Ashwin add firepower to this batting lineup.
The bowling attack will face a tough challenge in this game. The team needs early wickets from Trent Boult and Sandeep Sharma. Yuzvendra Chahal and Ashwin will look to make effective use of the conditions and trouble the batters. Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Sen must deliver the goods in the supporting role for the team to win.
Expected Starting XI for Rajasthan Royals
Sanju Samson (c & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen (Impact Player)
Kolkata Knight Riders Preview
Shreyas Iyer's side has had a dream run in the tournament. After rain washed away the contest, they shared the points with the Gujarat Titans in the last game. They are at the top of the points table and shall remain so irrespective of the result of this game. Even cricket betting sites see them as favorites. Iyer would like to carry the momentum into the next round with a big win against the Royals, who have struggled in recent games.
Sunil Narine has made over 400 runs this season and will look to deliver a strong start with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who replaces Philip Salt. The middle order has done well, and the team will expect to see partnerships between Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, and Shreyas Iyer. The lower middle order is powerful, and the team will expect fireworks from Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh.
Vaibhav Arora and Mitchell Starc must get the early breakthroughs in this game, as the Rajasthan Royals have their top order in good form. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy are the best bowlers in the team and have an important role. Harshit Rana and Andre Russell add variety to this attack.
Expected Starting XI for Kolkata Knight Riders
Shreyas Iyer (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora (Impact Player)
TOSS: To Bowl First
The wicket will be challenging to bat on, as seen in the last game. The wicket is conducive to chasing scores, and most teams have won run chases here. The team winning the toss would look to play safe by bowling first.
PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
There are predictions for rain in Guwahati, and we expect a cool and comfortable evening. There will be some assistance for the fast bowlers in the early overs. Batsmen will be able to play their strokes easily on this surface. The side batting first will need to score over 180 runs to feel safe on this wicket.
OUR PREDICTION
The Rajasthan Royals have hit a low with four consecutive losses. Their key batsmen and bowlers have seen a drop in form. The side will miss its best batsman in this game, which will be a major loss for the team. The Kolkata Knight Riders are in excellent form and have a strong batting lineup. According to our cricket betting tips, the Knight Riders will start as the frontrunner in this game.
Our prediction is for Kolkata Knight Riders to win
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