Despite winning eight out of their first nine matches in IPL 2024, Rajasthan Royals failed to finish in the top two of the points table and will now have to play the Eliminator. On the contrary, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who managed to win only one out of their first eight matches in the league, won six matches on the trot and qualified for the playoffs against all odds.
Two teams, whose journeys have been opposite of each other, will play the Eliminator on May 22 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and the winner will move to Qualifier 2, while the loser will be eliminated from the competition.
Also Read – Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Preview
After a phenomenal start to the tournament, the Sanju Samson-led side lost their momentum towards the end of the league stage. Their middle order failed to step up and Shimron Hetmyer’s injury at a crucial time cost them the top two spot. Now, with Jos Buttler leaving for international duty, the team has shown trust in Tom Kohler-Cadmore at the top. The bowling department, meanwhile, looks more or less sorted for RR.
When it comes to RCB, they would be high on confidence after six wins on the trot. Star batter Virat Kohli is in remarkable form and is currently the top scorer of the tournament, while Faf du Plessis and Rajat Patidar have done well in the recent past. Their bowling looks slightly concerning but the team has the momentum on its side.
Also Read – Faf du Plessis celebrates RCB’s remarkable comeback to clinch IPL playoff spot
Weather Forecast and Pitch Report
It is expected to be a hot day as the temperature can rise up to 45 degrees but will drop to 31 degrees at night, with no chances of rain. As per AccuWeather, wind will gust around 35 km/h and there won’t be any cloud cover.
Meanwhile, Ahmedabad offers both red-soil and black-soil surfaces. It is not yet clear on which surface the match will be played but given the value of the match, a high-scoring pitch is likely to be on offer.