As the teams head into the final fortnight of the league phase of this Indian T20 League season, there is a huge traffic jam in the middle of the table. Gujarat are pretty much guaranteed a play-off spot, while Mumbai are out of contention. Chennai are as good as out too, but Punjab and the other 6 teams all have hopes of making the final 4.
A win for Rajasthan on Saturday will move them within touching distance of that aim. For Punjab, whose net run rate is terrible, the margin for error is much less with only 4 games remaining.
Punjab are currently 7th in the table and have relied heavily on the solidity of S. Dhawan, the big hitting of L. Livingstone and the pace bowling of K. Rabada. But to clinch a play-off place, they badly need more runs from the out-of-form duo of M. Agarwal and J. Bairstow. R. Chahar’s leg spin could be a key factor too.
Rajasthan’s 6 wins have all come while batting first, with the magnificent J. Buttler – who has become the first pick for any dream team – usually setting the tone at the top of the order. But in their last two matches, they’ve failed to put up totals their excellent bowlers can defend, and this isn’t the time of the season when teams can afford such blips.
Kolkata kept the spin twins, Y. Chahal and R. Ashwin, quiet when they beat Rajasthan, and Punjab will need to do the same to haul themselves back into the top 4.
Match Details
- Match: Punjab vs. Rajasthan, Match 52
- Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Date & Time: May 7, 2022, at 3:30 PM IST
Punjab vs. Rajasthan Match 52 Probable Playing XIs
Team Punjab
J. Bairstow, S. Dhawan, B. Rajapaksa, L. Livingstone, M. Agarwal (C), J. Sharma (WK), R. Dhawan, K. Rabada, R. Chahar, A. Singh, S. Sharma
Team Rajasthan
J. Buttler, D. Padikkal, S. Samson (C & WK), K. Nair, S. Hetmyer, R. Parag, R. Ashwin, T. Boult, K. Sen, Y. Chahal, P. Krishna
Rajasthan vs Punjab HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
| Matches | Punjab Wins | Rajasthan Wins | Tie/NR |
| Overall | 9 | 13 | 1* |
| Indian T20 League | 9 | 13 | 1* |
| Last 5 Matches | 2 | 3 | 0 |
*Punjab won in the Super Over (2015)
Weather Report
With Mumbai well into its summer season, the temperatures will be close to 33°C when the match begins on Saturday afternoon.
Pitch Report For Punjab vs. Rajasthan Match
The red clay at the Wankhede Stadium has always encouraged fast bowlers, while the short boundaries and consistent bounce make for attacking stroke play. This season, 2 totals below 170 have been defended, while scores above that have been chased down just twice.
Toss
With the chasing team winning 7 of the 13 games here, it’s hard to say that the toss is a decisive factor.
TOP FANTASY PICKS For Punjab vs. Rajasthan Match
Team Punjab
- S. Dhawan has made at least 3 half centuries in the competition in 10 of the last 11 seasons. This year, his 369 runs have come at a modest strike rate of 124.66. But his anchor role needs to be seen in the context of how badly M. Agarwal and J. Bairstow have struggled.
- L. Livingstone had starred in other T20 leagues and Indian audiences now know just how good he is. He has smashed 293 runs at a thrilling strike rate of 186.62. Among the top run scorers, only D. Karthik has made his runs faster.
- K. Rabada had an average season in 2021 but now seems back to the form that made him the Indian T20 League’s top wicket taker in 2020. His 17 wickets have come at an economy rate of 8.27. He hurt table-topping Gujarat with 4-33 in the last game.
Team Rajasthan
- J. Buttler has had an unbelievable season, with 3 hundreds and 3 fifties at a strike rate of 150.76. He needs just 12 runs to cross the 600-run mark for the campaign.
- S. Hetmyer has made just 1 fifty, but his tally of 260 runs is outstanding for someone who usually comes to bat only in the final overs. Equally eye-catching is his strike rate of 163.52.
- Y. Chahal didn’t take any time at all to adjust to a new team environment after 7 seasons with Bangalore. He tops the wicket takers’ chart, with 19 wickets from 10 games and an outstanding economy rate of 7.27.
Punjab vs. Rajasthan Match HOWZAT DREAM TEAM
- Wicketkeepers: S. Samson, J. Buttler
- Batters: S. Dhawan, S. Hetmyer, B. Rajapaksa
- All-rounders: L. Livingstone, R. Ashwin
- Bowlers: Y. Chahal, K. Rabada, R. Chahar, P. Krishna
- Captain: J. Buttler/L. Livingstone
- Vice Captain: K. Rabada/Y. Chahal
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own team from today’s fantasy match prediction and play all the fantasy cricket matches of the Indian T20 League 2022. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team playing.
Download the favorite fantasy cricket app and select your own team, Howzat!
