With the IPL 2022 regular season almost over, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals square off in Match 58 at the DY Patil Stadium this afternoon. The Capitals will aim to bounce back from their loss in the previous match to stay in the IPL playoffs race while Rajasthan Royals will be eager to hold on to their winning momentum.
We preview this match and provide betting tips and the players to watch.
Betting Preview
The Royals are third in the standings with 14 points from 11 matches and have already created a four-point gap from the four teams that are in mid-table, including Delhi Capitals. Rajasthan also halted their recent two-match losing run with a six-wicket win over Punjab Kings and own a healthy NRR (+0.326) which means one win from the remaining matches could be enough with other results going their way.
Having defeated the Capitals by 15-runs in a high-scoring encounter earlier in the season, the Royals will be looking to complete the double over today’s opponents. They hold a narrow 13-12 advantage in the historical H2Hs but haven’t defeated Delhi in consecutive matches since 2018, losing six of the last eight matches against them.
RR will be without Shimron Hetmyer who has flown back home to Guyana for the birth of his child. Jimmy Neesham and Rassie van der Dussen are among the options to replace him, whose unavailability will test the batting depth of the Royals who previously had R Ashwin at No. 7.
The Capitals have lost six of their 11 games and although they are fifth on the points table, they are bunched alongside Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings, who also have 10 points from as many games. Ricky Ponting’s side have the advantage of a favourable Net Run Rate (+0.150) but they need to win all their remaining three matches for a shot at the playoffs.
That may prove to be a tough ask for Rishabh Pant’s men considering Delhi are yet to win consecutive matches this season let alone three in a row. Injuries and COVID-19 scares haven’t helped but the lack of finishing will annoy them. The Capitals have lost five of their seven chases this season with targets between 172-223 throwing up question marks over the hard-hitting skills of their middle-order batters.
Rajasthan Royals have momentum on their side and a very strong batting line-up. This makes them favourites for this match. I expect them to get the job done today and inch closer to securing a playoff spot.
Key Stat
Warner (163.28) and Shaw (159.50) have the best strike rates among batters who have faced a minimum of 50 balls in the powerplay this season.
Only two of the last eight first-innings totals at this venue have been over 165, while the average first innings score this season remains 170.
The average powerplay score at this venue this season is 45 but six of the last nine powerplay scores have been 43 or lower.
Yuzvendra Chahal has returned Rajasthan’s best bowling figures seven times this season, five times also ending up as the highest wicket-taker of the match.
RR have hit the most 6s in eight of their last 11 matches.
Delhi have scored the most powerplay runs in nine of their last ten matches.
David Warner has top-scored for Delhi in five of their last eight innings
Players to Watch
This may turn out to be a battle of captains for the same reason – the inability to convert starts to fifties. Sanju Samson has reached at least 20 in six of his ten innings but has scored only one fifty. Meanwhile, Pant has reached at least 20 in eight of his ten innings in the campaign but hasn’t converted any of those knocks into a half-century.
Best Bets
Alternative Bet: Highest Individual score to be over 65.5 at 1.83
Value Bet: Y Chahal to be RR’s top bowler 3.25