In the 20th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 Rajasthan Royals (RR) will be locking horns with the defending IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Despite starting the IPL season with two consecutive wins, RR lost the momentum as they lost both their games since then.
The Royals duo of Steve Smith and Sanju Samson has been doing a decent job, but Jos Buttler is still finding his feet at the top of the order. While Jofra Archer’s fiery spells have been decent for the team, RR would be slightly concerned with their fragile middle order as Robin Uthappa and Riyan Parag are yet to fire in the competition. Although Ben Stokes’ arrival bolsters the RR squad, he won’t be featuring in the game against the star-studded MI.
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Riding on the fireworks of Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, MI has managed to win three matches out of the five games and now they are looking good to reach the playoffs. It would be difficult for anyone to look past MI against the RR on Tuesday, but the four-time IPL champions’ head-to-head record against RR paints a different picture as both of them have won 11 games against each other. If this is any indication of things to come, one can expect a fiery game.
As the two sides prepare for a thrilling encounter, here’s a look at three key player battles to keep an eye on.
#1. Steve Smith vs Trent Boult
One of the best limited-overs batsmen, Steve Smith will be facing Trent Boult and it promises a lot on paper. The RR opener was the highest run-scorer for the team in the game against CSK, so he would be keen to continue the momentum. Smith has an excellent IPL record and on the other hand, Boult has always been a wicket-taker for MI and he will be under pressure to prove his worth.
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Boult will be playing the role of a wicket-taker. He is the highest wicket-taker for MI in the ongoing season as he has sclaped 8 wickets in 5 games at a strike rate of 14.5. He will be looking forward to improving the numbers this season for sure.
#2. Hardik Pandya vs Jofra Archer
This is a battle of unconventional cricketers, if we may call it so. The flamboyant all-rounder, Hardik Pandya was one of the highest run-scorer for MI in IPL 2019 as he had amassed 402 runs in 16 matches at a strike-rate of 191.42. Even in the games against KXIP and SRH he played a fiery and knock and would be expected to continue his form against RR as well.
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Hardik’s battle with Jofra Archer promises to be an enthralling one. Rashis has a knack of taking crucial wickets which will help him disturbing the rhythm of MI. He is one of the best spinners in T20 cricket and Hardik will have to bat at his ferocious best to unsettle the fiery pacer.
#3. Jos Buttler vs Jasprit Bumrah
The flamboyant English opener, Jos Buttler played a crucial role in RR’s batting outfit last year. His stunning numbers in 2019 reveal the kind of impact he had on the tournament — 311 runs at a strike rate of 151.70. He would look to carry on from where he left off last year. While he was equally dangerous against pace and spin last year, his battle against fast bowlers on UAE surfaces would be interesting to watch.
The pitches at venues in the Middle-East make shot-making slightly more difficult, which is why someone like Jasprit Bumrah might trouble the big-hitting opener. Buttler has the ability to keep things tight and get through his overs quickly. If he can keep the southpaw quiet, it might produce a false shot as the attacking batsman might look to break open.
