State of Play
The returning Rishabh Pant will again be the centre of attention when the Delhi Capitals go in search of their first win of IPL 2024 against the Rajasthan Royals tomorrow.
Pant made his eagerly anticipated comeback after over a year on the sidelines due to injuries sustained in a serious car crash against the Punjab Kings but failed to shine, making a quick-fire 18 from 13 balls.
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He wasn’t the only one as the Capitals’ top-order stumbled in their four-wicket defeat to the Kings in Mullanpur. David Warner (29), Mitch Marsh (20) and Shai Hope (33) all got in but failed to go on to make a match-changing score.
How they fare here could prove key to the contest with the Capitals due to face a potent Royals bowling line-up that includes the likes of Trent Boult and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Boult took two for 35 as the Royals won their opening game – a 20-run victory against the Lucknow Super Giants.
Captain and wicketkeeper Sanju Samson starred with the bat, hitting a brilliant 82 from just 52 balls.
Samson said afterwards: “I have been playing IPL for 10 years, so there’s experience coming in. Good start, but let’s see how it goes.”
Eye of the Samson. 🔥 PIC.TWITTER.COM/RLERTPLVAM
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) MARCH 27, 2024
Expected line-ups
Rajasthan Royals: Jaiswal, Buttler, Samson (c, wk), Parag, Hetmeyer, Jurel, Ashwin, Sharma, Chahal, Khan, Boult
Delhi Capitals: Warner, Marsh, Hope, Pant (c, wk), Bhul, Stubbs, Patel, Kumar, Morel, Yadav, Ahmed
How to watch
Sky have the rights to show the IPL to UK viewers in 2024 and will broadcast every game live. Thursday’s match will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket from 1.50pm GMT. Coverage on Sky Sports Main Event starts at 2pm.
We all have that one friend like Rishabh 🤣
Tag him/her in the comments 🫢👇#YEHHAINAYIDILLI #IPL2024 PIC.TWITTER.COM/YZ80UNCQLP
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) MARCH 27, 2024
Prediction
It’s hard to imagine the potent Capitals line-up failing twice in succession with the bat. And Pant in particular will be eager to show he is fully fit and firing after his lengthy lay-off.
The flip side is the Capitals bowling looks weaker without the injured Ishant Sharma and if Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal start teeing off it could be a run-fest.
We think it may be more frustration for Pant and the Capitals with the Royals edging a high-scoring encounter.
