In their first match of the tournament, the Rajasthan Royals were dominant as they defeated the Sunrisers Hyderabad by a whopping 72 runs. Their convincing victory has propelled them to the top of the points table, aided by their excellent net run rate. However, the Royals cannot afford to be complacent as there is still a long way to go in the tournament. It is important for them to maintain their form and momentum. Rajasthan’s opening pair of Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal performed superbly, contributing an 85-run partnership in under 6 overs. Sanju Samson was also impressive at number 3, and their top-order’s aggressive approach helped them reach the 100-run mark in just 7.4 overs, the fastest in the team’s IPL history. Although Samson, Buttler, and Jaiswal went on to score half-centuries, the middle order struggled to make an impact and will be looking to improve in their upcoming matches. Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmeyer, and Riyan Parag have the ability to play big shots, and their contribution will be crucial for the Royals. In the opening game, Rajasthan’s bowling was exceptional. Trent Boult’s first over was outstanding as he picked up 2 wickets, while Yuzuvendra Chahal took 4 wickets to dismantle the Sunrisers’ middle order. This impressive performance will undoubtedly give the Royals confidence going forward.
Similar to their opponents, the Rajasthan Royals, the Punjab Kings have also started their IPL 2023 campaign with a win, albeit through the DLS method. In his first full season as skipper, Shikhar Dhawan led the Kings to victory with a solid knock of 40 runs, while his opening partner Prabhsimran Singh contributed a quick 23 runs. The Kings will look for another good start from the opening duo, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa will aim to replicate his maiden IPL half-century from the previous game. However, the middle order appears weaker compared to the Royals, as Jitesh Sharma, Sam Curran, and Sikandar Raza have not shown consistency with the bat. Nonetheless, the presence of Shahrukh Khan and Harpreet Brar provides some depth to the batting lineup. On the bowling front, the Kings have a formidable pace attack with Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, and Nathan Ellis. Arshdeep, who has been impressive for the national team, picked up three wickets in the previous match. However, the spin department lacks depth as Rahul Chahar is the only specialist spinner in the team, and part-timers like Raza and Harpreet Brar will need to chip in during the middle overs.
