Rajasthan Royals will be a very confident unit after registering their 3rd victory of the Vivo IPL 12 against the mighty Mumbai Indians. The Men in Pink needed a win badly after suffering 6 defeats from 8 matches. Ajinkya Rahane was sacked as the skipper in favour of Steve Smith who played a captain’s knock in yesterday’s clash against the Mumbai Indians.
The former Aussie skipper not only led his franchise admirably but also ensured that his unbeaten knock of 59 eventually helped his franchise coast to a 6 wickets victory. It was a moment of pride for Smith to lead RR to a famous victory where he was barred from playing last year. Rajasthan Royals needed something spectacular and the difference came in the form of Steve Smith.
Jofra Archer has been the standout bowler for the Rajasthan Royals. However, his catching has been pretty ordinary which has gone onto hurt Rajasthan in crucial junctures of the game but he has led from the front as far as bowling is concerned. The leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal has also been an X factor for RR in the tournament so far.
The leggie has dismissed some top class batters which include the scalps of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. His batting lowers down the order has also come in handy as he has provided the much needed late impetus with some good striking. It will definitely be a difficult task for Rajasthan to make t to the playoffs from here on. However, a victory in the last game might give them the confidence to get on a roll.
Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, have been very impressive in the tournament so far and are currently at the 2nd position with 6 wins from 10 matches. It was a good all-round performance by the Capitals against Kings XI Punjab yesterday. The form of Kagiso Rabada has been sensational and he has undoubtedly been the biggest match winner for the Capitals.
He is currently the Purple Cap holder and has demolished the stumps of many top batters which includes the likes of Andre Russell. Meanwhile, Ishant Sharma and the spin duo of Axar Patel and Sandeep Lamichhane has also done a great job for them. Lamichhane returned for the previous match and if the pitch suits spin he will keep his place intact in the XI.
Prithvi Shaw will be hoping to roar back to form. He has been like a firecracker in the tournament. Barring the 99 against KKR during the first half of the tournament, he has looked pretty ordinary and might see him getting replaced by his U-19 teammate Manjot Kalra. The form of Shikhar Dhawan in the last 3 matches will not only please the DC fans but it is a piece of great news for all the Indian fans as well.
Date, Time and Venue:
The 40th match of Vivo IPL 12 will be played at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur on 22nd April from 8 pm.
Pitch Condition:
The surface at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur offers variable bounce which might be an issue during strokeplay. Hence a team batting first will look to score at least 160-170 which might turn out to be a match-winning score in the end. If the bowlers can bowl in the good areas then the pitch will definitely have some assistance for the bowlers. It is generally a slow pitch in Jaipur. Hence it should be a competitive match.
Weather Report:
It will be a hot day at the office for all the players. Conditions in Jaipur will be taxing for the players but they can be relieved with the match being a night game unlike the previous clash against the Mumbai Indians. The temperature in day time can go up to 43 degrees. However, during the match time, the temperature might go down considerably and can reach 27 degrees. As of now, no rain is predicted for tomorrow’s clash which can guarantee a full 40 overs match.
Match Prediction
Delhi Capitals have played some terrific cricket in the tournament so far while Rajasthan Royals has just managed to keep themselves in the tournament. With their backs to the wall, I will definitely back Rajasthan Royals to win tomorrow’s clash despite DC’s resurgent performance in the tournament so far. Steve Smith might play another important knock. Hence my prediction is with the Rajasthan Royals.