After pulling off a dramatic win over Punjab Kings in their last game, Rajasthan Royals are fired up to meet leaders Delhi Capitals in the VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
With that result, Rajasthan moved to fifth place in the league table. They are on eight points each with Kolkata Riders, who are above them on a better run rate, but ahead of the defending champions Mumbai Indians.
A win against Delhi would move them to the top half of the table and that obviously would be the objective on their first outing at the picturesque cricket stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Kartik Tyagi emerged as the unlikely hero of that game. The 20-year-old delivered a magnificent over to concede just one run when Punjab required four to win with eight wickets at hand.
To recap the epic over from the resident of Hapur, Tyagi had to have a go at the well-set pair of Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran who were on 25 and 32, respectively.
Markram took a single off the first delivery and Pooran was caught behind by Sanju Samson in the next ball.
Markram then had to watch agonizingly from the non-striker’s end as Deepak Hooda and then FabianAllen could not get away Tyagi’s widish Yorkers in a scoreless final four deliveries.
The golden question is whether Tiyagi replicates another epic over if the situation arises again.
Delhi is on a roll. They are undefeated in their last five games, including a tie against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
They are also on the back of a win in the UAE edition, defeating Hyderabad by eight wickets and 13 balls to spare in Dubai.
Shikhar Diwan, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant have been among the runs while Anrich Nortje, AxarPatel, and Kagiso Rabada have been the pick of their bowling in the last match.
Delhi has not won the IPL and this may be their best chance to change it. Their win against Hyderabad in their opening game moved them on top of the points table, and it was indeed a performance that places them as strong challengers for the title.
Marcus Stoinis is an injury doubt for Delhi, with Steve Smith the most likely replacement.
Stoinis’ availability is not confirmed but Nortje was optimistic at the pre-match conference on Friday.
“He looks good,” Nortje said. “I spoke to him this morning and he seems to be fine, but they’re just waiting on some results. I think he’s gone for a scan.”
A total of eight VIVO IPL matches will be taking place at Abu Dhabi Cricket this season, with the maximum capacity off and attending the games as per Government and BCCI(Board of CricketControl in India)regulations.
The Zayed Cricket Stadium has opened the doors of both its iconic main south grandstand and its north stand to cricket and entertainment fans alike in the capital, with tickets starting as low as Dhs60and available at: https://abu-dhabi.platinumlist.net/event-tickets/82125/ipl-abu-dhabi
