IPL 2024 Showdown: Who Will Lead As Top Wicket-Taker In RR Vs KKR?

In the final match before the play-off, Rajasthan Royals will host Kolkata Knight Riders at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday (May 19).

Despite staying at the top of the table for most of the time, suddenly RR have lost their momentum and four matches in a row. A win was required to seal a spot at the top two for the Royals but they were yet to get that win. Currently, they are sitting second just below the Knights with 16 points. On the other hand, the Knights are unbeaten for four matches and one match was abandoned. KKR with 19 points and one match remaining have cemented the top spot for this season.

Both the teams have met 29 times in the past, and both of them have 14 wins, and one match ended with no results. In the last five face-offs, RR has won four times, the last victory for KKR was back in 2022. The last meeting was in the reverse fixture, where RR secured their win with a historic run-chase. The key factor behind the win, Jos Buttler will miss the match as he has returned home with his other English compatriots.

Despite having one of the most balanced bowling attacks this season, they have been unable to win the recent matches mainly due to inconsistent performances from the batters. Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, all the pacers are in decent form. In the spin unit, RR has seasoned bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, who can single-handedly change the fate of any match.

The table-leaders also have a great bowling line-up this season. They are the only side with five bowlers with more than 11 wickets. Pacers like Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora are in great form. In this IPL, Andre Russel also has been exceptional with the ball in hand. But the main powerhouse behind the Knights bowling attack is their spin department, which has peaked at the right time of the tournament.

Yuzvendra Chahal (RR): The Indian right-arm leg-spinner at the age of 33, is still a serious contender for the Purple Cap with 17 wickets till now. Chahal with the highest ever wicket-tally in IPL history will be the main weapon for the Royals to keep a check on the in-form KKR middle order. A match-up between him and the Knights's middle order could be a highly decisive factor.

Avesh Khan (RR): The 27-year-old Indian pacer has 13 wickets so far this season. The right-arm medium-fast bowler has been decent in recent games. Along with Trent Boult, it will be his duty to stop the Knights's opening batters to settle down, who have been creating havoc across matches in IPL 2024.

Varun Chakravarthy (KKR): The right-arm leg-spinner is the highest wicket-taker for the Knights with 18 wickets and he has been a key factor behind recent consecutive wins of KKR. He is currently third in the race for the Purple Cap. Along with Sunil Narine, Chakravarthy has been outstanding in middle overs. With maintaining a meagre economy rate, he also managed to take wickets regularly at crucial moments of matches.

Harshit Rana (KKR): The 22-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler has drawn limelight this season with a stellar performance. In dearth of seasoned pacers in KKR bowling units, uncapped Indian fast bowler turned into best-performing fast bowler of KKR, despite presence of Mitchell Starc. Rana has picked 16 wickets in this IPL and became saviour for Knights in death overs.

For visitors, match will be formality before play-offs and they would like to check their alternate options before play-off begins. Though for Royals it will be last chance to secure spot in top-two. Stark differences in recent forms of two teams are proof of how difficult it will be for RR to break Knights' momentum. Yet, highly competitive showdown can be expected from these table-toppers.