Rajasthan Royals will host Punjab Kings on May 18 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. RR are already out of the playoffs race but the game holds massive importance for Punjab, who are pushing for a spot in the top two in the points table.
Rajasthan Royals will host Punjab Kings in match 59 of the ongoing Indian Premier League at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. The Sanju Samson-led side is already out of the playoffs race and on top of that, star pacer Jofra Archer has opted out of the remainder of the season, after suffering from a niggle during practice. Nandre Burger, who was signed just before the suspension of the league due to cross-border tension, has opted out as well.
Their absence might hurt the team against Punjab, who were in terrific form. Meanwhile, the franchise is yet to share an update on Samson’s fitness and whether the Kerala-born will be available for action against Punjab. In case he misses out, Vaibhav Suryavanshi will continue at the top of the order alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
When it comes to Punjab, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, and Aaron Hardie will miss the clash on May 18. They are yet to arrive in India but will be available for Punjab’s next game against Delhi Capitals on May 24. Their absence, however, won’t hurt the team much as they have been heavily relying on Indian players this season. Openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya have been consistent at the top of the order, while captain Shreyas Iyer has been a force to reckon with. Among bowlers, Arshdeep Singh has been the star.
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, Pitch Report
The surface at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur has favoured the batters this season. Typically, it was a paradise for the spinners and even though it still assists spinners to an extent but batters have mostly dominated. Since it will be a day game, bowling first will be the ideal thing to do and anything above 190 runs can be considered to be a good total.
