The Indian Premier League season is in full swing right now. Some thrilling matches and stellar performances have kept the fans hooked to their TV sets and right at the edge of their seats. Here, we shall look at how the teams stack up for the matches on April 15 and 16, and what the outcome of these contests could be.
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals
This is a match between two struggling teams, but RCB will be the favourites to win this contest as this is a home game for them, and their performances have been slightly better than DC’s. The Capitals have been lacklustre so far, losing all four of their matches.
RCB, on the other hand, have lost their last two games, but they did win their opening encounter of the season at home in quite a comprehensive manner. They will be looking to repeat the same performance in this contest again.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings
KL Rahul’s Lucknow have been a force to reckon with in this IPL season. They have won three out of their four games so far and are sitting in second place in the points table. In the last game, they pulled off a last-ball heist against RCB and will be eager to carry that momentum forward. Some of their batters have been in excellent form, whereas the bowlers are doing a great job.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings started off well with two wins in a row. However, their weaknesses have been exposed now as they are coming into this game on the back of losses in their last two games. Their bowling could be stronger, and the batters must also live up to the expectations. That’s why Lucknow will start this match as the favourites to win, as they have momentum on their side, and this is a home game for them as well.
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Mumbai Indians started the season with consecutive losses but bounced back with a win against Delhi Capitals in the last match. Skipper Rohit Sharma led from the front with a half-century and will be looking to deliver a similar performance again. The bowling also did quite well compared to their first two matches, and they will be eager to keep that consistency going.
KKR, on the other hand, have registered two massive wins in the last couple of games after starting the season with a loss. The way they have made a comeback in the previous two matches to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat must have increased their confidence considerably. Their main strength is their spin trio of Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma. But the batting is shaping up quite well, too, with the likes of Venkatesh Iyer back in form. Even though this will be an away game for them, KKR will enter this contest as the favourites to win.
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals
The finalists of last season meet again. Both Titans and the Royals have made an excellent start to this campaign again, winning three matches each out of their respective four games. Both teams have looked quite well-balanced in all departments, which is why this will be a cracker of a contest.
The bowling unit of the two sides is exceptionally well-matched, but the batting could decide the match’s fate. The Royals have a much better batting unit as compared to the Titans. Specifically, the Royals’ batters are much more explosive than the Titans, so they will look to bat their opposition out of the contest. The Royals are much more likely to win this contest than the Titans.
