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.

IPL 2024 RR vs KKR: Bowling Squad Comparison

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.

IPL 2024 RR vs KKR: Who Will Pick Maximum Wickets in Match 70?

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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the middle overs. With maintaining a meagre economy rate, he also managed to take wickets regularly at the crucial moments of the match.

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

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