The Royal Challengers will head into the second IPL Eliminator as favourites but will need to be wary of a Royals outfit capable of smashing anyone on their day.
The second qualifier will determine the lineup of the Indian Premier League final.
Rajasthan Royals will have another go at reaching the championship match against a Royal Challengers Bangalore side with plenty to prove.
Royals vs Royal Challengers | Friday 27 May | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 16:00
To Win Match
Royals 21/20 | Tie 25/1 | Royal Challengers 82/100
Rajasthan Royals
Jos Buttler will almost certainly finish as the top run-scorer in the 2022 IPL with 718 runs to his name from 15 matches this term so far.
The Royals’ other top performers have been local talents with paceman Prasidh Krishna leading the bowling attack.
Ravichandran Ashwin has dipped in with his all-round talents surprising a few as a pinch-hitter.
The Royals also need Sanju Samson to come to the party if they are to mount a serious challenge for the IPL title.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB just pulled through to the playoffs but they have momentum now thanks to a final round-robin win and victory in the eliminator.
They have shown themselves capable of pushing through tight matches led by their new skipper Faf du Plessis who is also the team’s top run-getter.
Arguably the star of the show, though has been Wanindu Hasaranga who looks like he could be an IPL staple for years to come with the Sri Lankan allrounder making a big splash.
Glenn Maxwell has flown under the radar but has still made key contributions to the RCB cause and will be a dangerous player in big matches.
Verdict: Rajasthan Royals 21/20
Big value on the Royals to claim their place in the final. They’ve been excellent all season and probably boast the most dangerous batting line-up in the competition. I reckon they’ll get the job done here.
