IPL 2018, RR vs KXIP Match Prediction: Who will win today's match between Rajasthan Royals(RR) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP)?
Two days after playing the Kings XI Punjab at their adopted home ground in Indore, the Rajasthan Royals will host the Ravichandran Ashwin-led side in Jaipur for the second leg. For the Punjab side, it's an opportunity to strengthen their spot in the top-4, while Jaipur are rotting at the bottom after a woefully out of sorts campaign is all but over.
What has clicked for the Punjab side has been the batting-unit, which has performed as a team - KL Rahul has led the batting chunk from the front, matched efficiently by Chris Gayle, who wasn't given much of a chance before the start of the tournament. They have been led admirably by Ravichandran Ashwin, whose shrewdness has come to the fore in this edition.
Rajasthan have, on the other hand, fallen flat after a haphazard, unplanned batting lineup has pulled them down, with no cure to their revolving positions after nine games. With only three wins, they are on the brink of elimination and require one of D'Arcy Short or Ben Stokes to fire with the bat. Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane, along with Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer, have been good in phases, but a team effort has been lacking big time.
Date: May 8
Time: 2000 IST
Venue: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
If Rajasthan Royals bat first
Predicted score: 150+
The Royals have been lacking in form with the bat especially because the top-order seems to be having too many off days. D'Arcy Short hasn't translated his good form in the Big Bash to India and has been a big letdown. One can expect Ajinkya Rahane to come good at the Sawai Mansingh ground, a surface he is familiar with, and averages over 45 at. With the campaign failing big time, if one of Buttler or Stokes can play the blinders that they are known for, Rajasthan will be well served.
The surface at the SMS this year has seen scores hovering around 150-160, a similar script could unfold in this game as well, but the Punjab spinners will be hoping to find something in the surface to play and restrict them to a lower total.
If Kings XI Punjab bat first
Predicted score: 160+
Despite the failure of Yuvraj Singh (who seems to be having the lowest of lows, form-wise), the Punjab side has been served well by the exploits of the top-order, KL Rahul and Chris Gayle in particular. Rahul is making a habit of tracking down totals, and his unbeaten 84 helped the side come up trumps over Rajasthan in their first leg a few days ago. If one of Mayank Agarwal or Karun Nair also gets going, there is no stopping the KXIP from posting a big total.
Rahane would want to employ Shreyas Gopal early on to arrest the flow of runs, while Jofra Archer and Jaydev Unadkat, on their day, can put the brakes on the innings towards the death.
Match prediction
Despite having a number of T20 stars in their roster, the Rajasthan Royals have flattered to deceive, and it doesn't seem as if they will be able to force a turnaround with the remaining matches, considering they have failed to garner any momentum.
The second leg could see the KXIP side emerge winners once again, considering the form they are currently in, but the possibility of a last-ditch effort from a Buttler or a Stokes cannot be completely ruled out.
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