After having the rollercoaster ride in the other game, Rising Pune Supergiant have been on the roll while claiming three wins on trot which has not only boosted the confidence of the mixed blend of players in the squad, but has also given the side a reasonable chance to qualify for the much-awaited play-offs stage which will kick-off from May 16.
The 44th match of the ongoing tenth edition of Indian Premier League will see Supergiant taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
The resurgent Supergiant led by Steven Smith would be aiming to continue their winning streak against Hyderabad, which has lost their previous game against Delhi Daredevils after bowlers failed to contain hosts batting line-up at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi.
In 11 matches, Supergiant has registered seven wins and lost four, as the claimed 14 points while maintaining their place at number three on the points table.
Previous Encounters:
In this season both teams met in the match number 24 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, where hosts thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets following Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s heroic 34-ball 61 knock.
The wicket-keeper batsman Dhoni was also named the Man of the Match to see his side home on the last ball while chasing the target of 177.
In head-to-head contests, we have seen David Warner-led side finding it difficult against Steven Smith-led Supergiant. So far, both the teams have played three matches since 2016 and Supergiant has claimed two wins, whereas, Sunrisers one a match.
Recent Form:
RPS – W L W W W
SRH – L NR W W L
Talking Points:
While playing the significant role up the order, Rahul Tripathi gave a rousing start to its team which further saw Ben Stokes put all his effort with the ball, before showing his class with the bat too.
Rising Pune Supergiant seems to have found the rhythm – to go long into this season, as their batsmen and bowlers have chipped in with some healthy contribution to take the unit ahead on the points table.
Having power-hitters at the helm in the form of MS Dhoni, Ben Stokes and Rahul Tripathi, Supergiant would be eyeing to continue their good run while giving the decent total to their bowlers to defend if they would be asked to bat first.
While having the Indian stock in the pace department, the skipper has to be careful while using his bowlers particularly in the dicey situation of the game.
Daniel Christian, who has the ability to dip the ball hard, has to use his experience well alongside Ben Stokes, who is capable of bowling death overs against any strong batting-heavy opposition.
On the other end, the leg-spinner, Imran Tahir, who has leaked runs, lately, but deceived opposition batsmen with his googly while picking wickets at the crucial junctures.
Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur, who bowled well in tandem in the last few matches, are expected to deliver while gaining the experience, as we are expecting Adam Zampa might sneak into Playing XI for the Sunrisers game.
So far, both the combination did well overall, but the team is expected to improve their fielding which plays a crucial role in crunch situations.
Rising Pune Supergiant Predicted XI:
Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Tripathi, Steven Smith, MS Dhoni, Manoj Tiwary, Ben Stokes, Washington Sundar, Daniel Christian/Adam Zampa, Shardul Thakur, Imran Tahir, Jaydev Unadkat.