Indian T20 League 2022: Match 30: Rajasthan vs Kolkata: Preview, Probable XIs, Pitch Report, Head-to-Head, Broadcasting Details and Updates

Sanju Samson- Andre Russell (image source : BCCI)

Rajasthan will lock horns with Kolkata in the 30^th match of the Indian T20 League 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday, 18^th April. Rajasthan’s campaign has tumbled against a speed breaker as they lost their last match against Gujarat. They are now occupying fourth place in the points table with three wins from five matches.

Kolkata on the other hand after beginning the season with a bang has faced two consecutive defeats. They are currently in sixth place in the points table managing three victories from six matches. The men in purple will look to return to winning ways and get their campaign back on track.

Team news:

Rajasthan: Rajasthan’s bowling lacked potency in their last match against Gujarat as they conceded 192 runs in 20 overs. The absence of Trent Boult was evident as none of the bowlers playing made any significant impact. Jos Buttler was the only positive for Rajasthan from the match against Gujarat. The whole squad will have to take their game a notch higher if they are to win the next match.

Probable XI: Jos Buttler (O), Devdutt Padikkal, Snaju Samson (C)(WK), Daryl Mitchell, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Key Players:

Jos Buttler: In the five matches that Buttler has played so far, in the tournament, he has scored 272 runs at an average of 68. He already has one century and two half-centuries to his name. Thus, he will be a key factor in Rajasthan’s batting effort.

Yuzvendra Chahal: The current purple cap holder, Yuzvendra Chahal will be the prime wicket-taking option for Rajasthan in the match. He will have the responsibility of not will picking up wickets but also restricting the scoring rate of the opposition in the middle overs.

Shimron Hetmyer: Shimron Hetmyer has been the man responsible for Rajasthan’s power-packed finishes in the batting so far this season. He has already scored 197 runs in the tournament with a strike rate of 177.48. The team will be looking forward to another strong finish from the man in the death.

Kolkata: Kolkata’s start to the Indian T20 League 2022 has been brilliant, but they have failed to capitalize on it. They have their last two matches in the tournament and the campaign seems to have got derailed. They will look to solve their issues quickly and return to the winning ways as soon as possible.

Probable XI: Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch (O), Shreyas Iyer (C), Nitish Rana, Sheldon Jackson (WK), Andre Russell (O), Sunil Narine (O), Pat Cummins (O), Aman Khan, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.

Key Players:

Umesh Yadav: Umesh Yadav has been the prime factor in Kolkata’s wins in the first three matches. His fiery opening spells have given them the early advantage in the matches. However, his failure to provide wickets at the beginning in the last two matches has made them suffer.

Andre Russell: The onus of providing powerful finishes to Kolkata lies on Andre Russell as always. But the lack of consistency on his part has been a concern for the team. However, a quick-fire 49 off 25 deliveries has made the fans believe that Kolkata can ride on the back of his impactful batting and dream of lifting their third Indian T20 League trophy.

Pitch Report: Brabourne Stadium with its flat track and smaller dimensions has provided the most high-scoring encounters of the season. Dew has affected the game in most of the matches played here so far this season. Another high-scoring match can be expected on Monday.

Match Details

Date: April 18^th,2022

Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Time: 7:30 PM

Broadcasting Details: Star Sports Network for television, Disney+ Hotstar for online streaming.

Head-to-Head: The contest between Rajasthan and Kolkata has been pretty close with the men in purple sightly edging forward. The two teams have met 25 times overall, Kolkata has won 13 of these encounters, while Rajasthan has won 11, while one encounter has gone by without a result.

Summary: