The State of Play
IPL 2024 leaders Rajasthan Royals host a Mumbai Indians team seeking a second consecutive win in a heavyweight contest between the inaugural champions in 2008 and the visiting five-time winners.
Jasprit Bumrah again starred for MI in their nine-run win over Punjab Kings on Thursday, taking 3/21 and contributing 36 off 25 balls alongside Gerald Coetzee’s 3/32.
Surakumar Yadav’s 78 led their batting ahead of Rohit Sharma’s 36, but the support offered so far to Bumrah’s bowling has been the key concern for Mark Boucher’s side.
PBKS threatened to decisively seize the momentum against MI before narrowly missing out on a target of 193.
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“Everyone’s nerves got tested,” MI captain Hardik Pandya acknowledged. “We did speak about our character being checked in this game.
“Naturally, you think you’re ahead in the game. But we know IPL has a tendency to produce these games where oppositions can come back – and how.”
RR look particularly capable of that, winning six of their seven matches including a second consecutive victory on Tuesday, when their total of 224 set up a two-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders.
Three of the 12 leading batsmen in this season’s IPL play for Rajasthan, Jos Buttler taking his tally to 250 with an unbeaten 107 against KKR.
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“It was a very good innings – very well calculated,” said team-mate Rovman Powell, who added 16 off the 17th over.
“It was a world-class innings. He picked his bowlers, picked his time and when he was ready to score, he knew that he had to be the man to carry on the game for us.
“I have seen a lot of world-class T20 hundreds and this is definitely in the top five. To be on the winning side in a chase of 220 in a T20 game, with a rampant crowd at Eden Gardens, leaves a special feeling in your mind.”
Sanju Samson has 276 and Riyan Parag’s 318 makes him one of only three players to have topped 300, eclipsed only by SRH’s Travis Head and top scorer Virat Kohli, of RCB.
Jos the Boss: The proudly told story. 😂💗 pic.twitter.com/EVUzk7th2B
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 21, 2024
Parag needs three more sixes to take him to 50 in the IPL and 82 runs to reach 1,000 in the competition.
Yuzvendra Chahal is level with Coetzee alone as the second-highest wicket-taker in the IPL, on 12 – one behind outright leader Bumrah, who has 13.
Expected Line-ups
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (c, wk), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Rovman Powell, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal
Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma, Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Shreyas Gopal, Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee, Akash Madhwal
Approaching matchday at 𝟏𝟒𝟎 𝐤𝐦𝐩𝐡 🚀#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians pic.twitter.com/8wsHKSjnqJ
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 21, 2024
How to Watch
Sky have the rights to show the IPL to UK viewers in 2024 and will broadcast every game live. Monday’s match will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket from 2.50pm BST.
In India, the games can be streamed on the Jio Cinema app and website. They are also available across the Star Sports Network.
Prediction
While the head-to-head record is a finely-balanced 15 wins to 13 in in favour of MI, RR’s form is irresistible.
RR equalled the highest successful run chase in the history of the IPL against KKR and beat Mumbai by six wickets with 27 balls to spare on April 1, winning within 16 overs after limiting their opponents to 125.
