IPL 2018: Match 38, Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals – Expectation vs Reality

The second encounter on Sunday (April 5) will mark the 38th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. It’ll find the Kings XI Punjab face off against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). For Punjab, it’ll be a chance to strengthen their claim on a playoff slot. For Rajasthan, it’ll be a chance to pull themselves out of the abyss of the last spot in the rankings.

Going into the game, both teams are reeling from a loss apiece. The match is scheduled to be held in Indore and KXIP will look to extract different results than the defeat that they were meted out at the same venue a few days back. Before the real action starts, let’s take a sneak peek at what we’re expecting from this high-octane encounter while we wait for the reality to unfold.

Yuvraj Singh to step on the gas pedal

Seldom do we see a trophy conquest in the IPL where Yuvraj Singh doesn’t have the big runs next to his name. The flamboyant batsman hasn’t quite been his old self in the ongoing season but that’s barely a reason to underestimate the abundant potential that the man possesses. Sunday might just be the day when Singh will blast his way through the opposition’s bowling battery to play a big inning for his team.

KXIP’s woes with the batting middle-order were realised in their last game when they failed to convert the good start provided by KL Rahul-Chris Gayle into a generous total. Singh, who seems to be regaining his touch bit by bit, scored a run-a-ball 14 runs. This might just be the prelude and we can expect to see him come out all guns blazing in the match against RR.

Ben Stokes to prove his worth

English all-rounder Ben Stokes hasn’t impressed much in IPL 2018 either with the bat or with the ball. Cricket lovers are aware of the carnage this man is capable of unleashing on the opposition if it happens to be his day. While that day doesn’t seem to have come as of yet in the ongoing season of the tournament, KXIP might just be the opposition that Stokes will choose to prove his worth against.

RR are currently at the bottom of the points table owing to a dismal NRR of -0.715. However this is rectifiable and for this, Ben Stokes will have to contribute to the batting middle-order to fortify Rajasthan’s batting order, lack of which had cost them the other day against the Delhi Daredevils (DD). Thus, we can expect some dazzling shots, accompanied with some cutting-edge bowling from the cricketer who cost his team a whopping INR 12.5 crores in the auctions!

Here’s the reality right after the match..

Mujeeb spins it Punjab’s way

Royals continued with their move to promote Jos Buttler to open the innings and it worked again for them only for him to lose wickets at the other end. It was Mujeeb Zadran who bowled beautifully and scalped 3 wickets to peg back the visitors and restrict them to a below-par total on a slow wicket. His spell of 3/27 was excellent and only the tail-enders were able to score some runs, in the end, to take Royals to a score of 152 after 20 overs.

Rahul comes to the fore

KL Rahul made up for all his recent failures by playing a match-winning innings of 84 runs off just 54 deliveries. The chase went close as the likes of Jaydev Unadkat and the spinners bowled extremely well while defending the low total. But Rahul kept his cool and launched an assault on the best bowler of the opposition Jofra Archer to shatter their hopes of winning the game. Eventually, the game finished in the penultimate over which at one stage was looking a close finish.

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