Due to some terrific performances lately, Rising Pune Supergiant have been able to keep their playoffs hopes alive. They have to win one of the two matches remaining to make it to the top four this season in IPL. Whereas, the Daredevils are out of the race!
With IPL reaching its last week of league matches, still a lot of calculations and speculations are made, and openings to top four are alive with KKR. KXIP, RPS and SRH in a thrilling race. Every match that RCB has choked on, every run difference they have lost by and every catch they have failed to hold on to, Pune has done the exact opposite.
RPS are expected to win both its league matches convincingly and it is most likely that the tournament would see the cutting edge side of Smith’s men during the playoffs stage.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER:
A maiden T20 hundred from Sanju Samson and a blistering unbeaten 38 off just nine balls, from Chris Morris, led Delhi Daredevils to their first 200-plus total since April 2012. It was more than enough to give them their first win of the season, as Rising Pune Supergiants – who were without Steven Smith, their regular captain and best batsman – crumbled in the face of a steadily mounting asking rate, folding for 108 in 16.1 overs.
TALKING POINTS:
MSD’s experience will certainly have the upper hand and tackling any other captain would be child’s play. The breeze is in favour of Smith and his army. Jaydev Unadkat has risen to the occasion after picking the third hat-trick of the season. Imran Tahir is lethal on his day. And the upcoming Rahul Tripathi and in-form Manoj Tiwary are firing. Delhi is weak because their captaincy isn’t strong enough. And how much can mentor Rahul Dravid do sitting at the boundary?
RPS PREDICTED XI:
MS Dhoni (wk), Manoj Tiwary, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith (c), Daniel Christian, Jaydev Unadkat, Ben Stokes, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar