Find out team news, TV and streaming information, odds, weather forecasts and much, much more ahead of the next game of the 2021 Indian Premier League season
Royal Challengers Bangalore meet Rajasthan Royals in the 2021 Indian Premier League.
The game is scheduled for 6pm UAE (3pm BST, 7.30pm IST) on Wednesday, September 29, 2021.
The two sides will meet at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.
Royal Challengers Bangalore have let their pre-hiatus form slip a little since the restart, winning just one of their three games in the UAE. That one victory was, however, a comprehensive display against title-holders Mumbai Indians, as RCB won by 54 runs thanks to a superb bowling performance.
Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, have lost their last two on the bounce, including a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of struggling wooden-spooners Sunrisers Hyderabad. They haven’t really clicked in the UAE yet, though still find themselves in sixth place with eight points, and are well in the hunt for a place in the knockout stage if they can muster up a good run of form.
Dafabet have Royal Challengers Bangalore as the favourites for this fixture, offering odds of 4/6. Rajasthan Royals are available at 23/20.
Liam Livingstone and Sanju Samson are at 14/5 to top-score for Rajasthan while Virat Kohli is at 21/10 for RCB.
Glenn Maxwell reminded the world of his talismanic brilliance in RCB’s win against Mumbai Indians. Reversing more than a learner driver attempting parallel parking for the first time, the Australian all-rounder, ranked second on the T20 Player Index, targeted the short boundary in dazzling fashion. His 360-hitting ability is world class: there is simply no defendable boundary when he is at the crease.
With the ball in hand, Harshal Patel has started the UAE leg of the competition in fine style, ripping through Mumbai Indians to take a lethal hattrick. The seamer’s victims included Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, as he claimed figures of 4 for 17 to round off a comprehensive victory.
For Rajasthan Royals, 17-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal has impressed. The opener made 36 in the defeat to Sunrisers, and smashed 49 versus Punjab Kings: he has a bright future ahead of him.
Captain Sanju Samson is striking superbly well, too, having made an unbeaten 70 and 82 in his past two innings, and he will be key to the Royals’ batting efforts.
RCB have struggled to find a consistent approach to their overseas players so far. The form of Kyle Jamieson will be a concern, while, at 38, Dan Christian is by no means a long-term solution to the problem of their balance. Wanindu Hasaranga, Fabian Allen and Tim David could all be in the mix to replace them, with uncapped English seamer George Garton another potential option.
Rajasthan, too, have reason to worry over the performance of their overseas stars. Chris Morris has struggled so far, while batters Liam Livingstone and Evin Lewis have yet to impact a game in the way the world knows they can. Morris is the likeliest candidate for replacement, having been left out against Delhi Capitals in favour of Tabraiz Shamsi, and this is a switch that the Royals may be tempted to repeat.
The two teams have played each other 24 times.
Rajasthan Royals wins: 10
Royal Challengers Bangalore wins: 11
No result: 3
Hot and sunny conditions in Dubai where temperatures are expected to peak at 35 degrees Celsius.
Follow the Met Office forecast here.
Yes, a limited number of fans are allowed to attend games during the IPL's UAE leg.
If they play like they did against Mumbai, RCB should have few issues here.
IPL TEAM GUIDES
Sky Sports have the rights in the United Kingdom.
You can aso stream the tournament using the Disney+ Hotstar digital platform, though the matches are only available for VIP or Premium subscribers.
Star Sports have the television rights in India.
Streaming service YuppTV have acquired digital streaming rights in a host of markets, including Australia, continental Europe, Malaysia, Southeast Asia with the exception of Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, Central Asia, and Central and South America.
In the USA, the games will be broadcast on Willow TV and the Willow TV website. Fox Sports have the broadcasting rights in Australia, while Supersport will televise the games in South Africa. In the Caribbean, Flow TV have the rights.
The following broadcasters owning the rights for their respective regions:
Bangladesh: Channel 9
Afghanistan: Lemar TV
Malaysia: Measat
MENA/UAE: BeIN Sport
Hong Kong: Now TV
Singapore: SingTel
New Zealand: Sky Sport
Papua New Guinea: EMTV
Royal Challengers Bangalore squad: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pavan Deshpande, Glenn Maxwell, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Kyle Jamieson, Dan Christian, Suyesh Prabhudessai, KS Bharat, Tim David, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga, George Garton
Rajasthan Royals squad: Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Tewatia, Mahipal Lomror, Kartik Tyagi, Andrew Tye, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Anuj Rawat, David Miller, Manan Vohra, Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Mustafizur Rahim, Chetan Sakariya, K.C. Cariappa, Liam Livingstone, Kuldip Yadav, Akash Singh, Glenn Phillips, Tabraiz Shamsi, Oshane Thomas, Evin Lewis
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Paddikal, Srikar Barat, Glenn Maxwell, AB De Villiers, Tim David, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvenda Chahal
Rajasthan Royals: Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Liam Livingstone, Mahipal Lomror, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kartik Tyagi, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman
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