RR vs PBKS IPL 2024.
RR vs PBKS IPL 2024. Image Credit: X

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) have a very strong upper hand over the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the RR vs PBKS clashes with a 16-11 winning margin. In the last fixture of these two teams in this IPL 2024 saw the Royals chasing a low 148-run target with three wickets in hand on the penultimate ball.

The runners-up of the 2022 season have been struggling in the powerplay with the bat in hand. Their 140.51 team strike rate is the seventh highest among the ten teams in the competition, going into the RR vs PBKS clash. Even though they have lost the joint least number of wickets (16) in this session, the openers haven’t been able to free their arms on a constant basis.

607 runs have come in 12 innings in the first six overs, which means the run rate is around eight or 8.5, which is quite low in comparison to how the modern T20 format works. They have nailed 16 sixes in this IPL 2024 so far before the RR vs PBKS face-off, which is the joint lowest too. This has put pressure on the middle order in generating some firecrackers regularly.

For the Punjab Kings, the story has been quite similar. They have a strike rate of around 143, which is in the middle of all the teams. 617 runs in 12 innings means, the Kings too are scoring near the 8.5 or 8.75 rate in the first six overs. It’s also the second half of the season, where they found the opening mojo, which was the worst at the beginning of the tournament.

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Only 19 sixes have come off their willow as Punjab stands among the low power-hitting teams in this IPL, before the RR vs PBKS clash. Their top three also has the second-lowest average of 24.97 in this season, with only 874 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 152.26. This puts enormous pressure on the lower order to come in their rescue on most occasions.

RR vs PBKS Head-to-Head Records

Matches Played 27
Rajasthan Royals Won 16
Punjab Kings Won 11
No Result 00
First Played April 21, 2008
Last Played April 12, 2024

RR vs PBKS Probable Playing XIs

Rajasthan Royals Probable XI: Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (c & wk.), Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey/Rovman Powell, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan/Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma.

RR Impact Sub: Kuldeep Sen.

Punjab Kings Probable XI: Rilee Rossouw, Prabhsimran Singh, Atharva Taide, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Singh/Sikandar Raza, Ashutosh Sharma, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis.

Impact Sub: Rishi Dhawan.

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RR vs PBKS Best Players Prediction

Best Batter Prediction: Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson has a very good record against the Punjab Kings, with 720 runs in 22 innings at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 143.4 with a couple of fifties and one century. He has been in fine touch in this IPL 2024 too with 486 runs at a strike rate of nearly 160. He could play a captain’s knock in the vital RR vs PBKS clash.

Best Bowler Prediction: Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal too has a favorable match-up against the Kings, with 30 wickets in 20 innings at an economy of 8.21, and a dot rate of close to 40%. Chahal has picked up 15 wickets in this IPL 2024, but at an expensive economy of 9.52, and he will look to improve this.

RR vs PBKS Match Winner Prediction

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) should come at the top of the game, and get qualified for the playoff of the IPL 2024.