Cricket News: “Hope to get people off my back” – Aaron Finch | Finch aims to get out of lean patch in upcoming tour of Sri Lanka
Aaron Finch is looking to overcome his self-proclaimed lean patch in the upcoming limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka. Finch scored only 86 runs in five games for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2022 and has notched a solitary half-century in his last 14 T20Is for Australia.
The Aussies are set to play 11 ODIs and T20Is each prior to embarking on their title defence of the World T20 at home later this year. Finch seems to keen address concerns over his poor form but admits that he has faced such a situation several times in his career so far.
“It’s been a reasonably lean patch. I’ve been through that plenty of times in my career. At times, you go through stages where you get a heap of runs in a hurry and then go through some lean patches,” the Australian white-ball skipper was quoted in a report by ESPNCricinfo.
“A lot of time to build form” – Aaron Finch
He added, “With such a busy schedule of cricket, there’s a lot of time to be able to build and I suppose get back into the groove of one-day cricket especially. We haven’t played a huge amount of that over the last little while, so it’d be really nice to try and get some big runs and keep everyone off my back for a little while.”
Finch even spoke in detail about his technique, mentioning that he has been trying to regain his rhythm by altering with his set-up and movement patterns for quite some time. In the series vs Pakistan, prior to the IPL, Finch said that was getting too open in his stance. Then he started “trying to go a little too hard” during the IPL by moving around the crease. Now, he is looking to settle for a better base in the series vs Sri Lanka.
“When you’re worried about the ball swinging back into your front pad, you can tend to open up which then has a bit of a flow-on effect. So it’s just trying to get back to a little bit more square and making sure that I’m giving myself every chance to get through the first five or six balls and then in T20 or ODIs you can sort of flow on from that,” Finch explained.
“They’re obviously your most vulnerable times. But just squaring up my technique again. I was just a bit open and hips and shoulders and feet and everything and just lost the ability to transfer my weight back through the ball,” the 35-year-old further elaborated on the issue.
Meanwhile, Australia is looking to play around its bowling combination a bit in the absence of Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa in the Sri Lankan series. The first T20I between the two sides will take place at the R. Premdasa Stadium in Colombo on 7th June. The ODI series will commence from 14th June with the first of the five games to be played at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy.
Cricket News: Will Trent Boult play the Lord’s Test against England? | An update on Trent Boult’s availability for 1st Test against England at Lord’s
Trent Boult is reportedly unlikely to play in the first Test against England at Lord’s starting on Thursday. Boult, who played a key role in Rajasthan’s push for the IPL title, has been named in New Zealand’s 15-man squad for the match, but a gap of just three days between the IPL Final and first Test puts Boult in doubt.
New Zealand will play three Tests against England starting on June 2 at Lord’s. The Black Caps will be looking to replicate their dream tour of England last year, where they beat the hosts 1-0 and also went on to win the World Test Championship Final against India.
Will have chats with Trent Boult about Lord’s Test – Gary Stead
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said that he is constant contact with Trent Boult about his availability for the Lord’s Test. Stead said that managing resources is part and parcel of world cricket right now, particularly given that the IPL takes up two months of the calendar with 10 teams now participating.
“Trent arrives in later today [Monday] and we’ll see how he scrubs up but we’ve had conversations leading up into this,” Stead said. “It’s part of the world and the way it is right now and I guess with the complexity of putting schedules together and then you have the IPL on top of that, it just adds another layer to it all.”
Should Boult not be picked for the first Test, the Black Caps will still have a number of pace bowling options at their disposal. One member of the squad who is putting his hand up is Matt Henry, who was outstanding in his appearance against England last year where he took 3/78 and 3/36 in a player of the match performance in Birmingham.
Wake up call for New Zealand after tour game defeat
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for New Zealand’s bowlers against the First Class Counties XI. The Black Caps lost comfortably by seven wickets, with their pacers drawing blank in the second innings.
Having Boult on deck will help New Zealand, but the step up to red ball bowling takes time to adjust to. Should he be unavailable, pacer Matt Henry believes the Black Caps are still well equipped to take on England at Lord’s.
“They [First Class Counties XI] played really well and I think that’s exactly what you want in games like this. You want to be playing against some guys that are really in form and Ben Compton is one of those guys. It was good for us bowlers to get out there and work on a few plans and get that time in the legs which has been really crucial,” said Henry.
In related news, batsman Henry Nicholls is likely to miss the first Test due to a calf injury.
NED vs WI 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | NED vs WI 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Netherlands vs West Indies 1st ODI Key Players | Amstelveen Pitch Report
The first dose of international cricket after IPL 2022 will take place in Amstelveen as Netherlands and West Indies will enjoy a rare meeting in ODIs. The series will count as part of the ODI Super League, and both teams are in desperate need of points as the Dutch are bottom and West Indies are in tenth.
This will also be Nicholas Pooran’s first series as full-time white-ball captain after Kieron Pollard’s international retirement. Despite the Windies missing some key players including Jason Holder and Evin Lewis, it looks a good opportunity on paper as the Dutch are also missing a number of players due to County commitments.
Also, it is time for the Windies to pull their socks up in ODI cricket. They have been poor for quite some time now, with their latest efforts a 2-1 home loss to Ireland and 3-0 defeat away to India. For the Dutch, it is a chance for a number of players to make an impression after some good moments in their 3-0 loss in New Zealand earlier in 2022.
Squad: Pieter Seelaar (c), Scott Edwards (wk), Shariz Ahmad, Logan van Beek, Philippe Boissevain, Aryan Dutt, Clayton Floyd, Fred Klaassen, Vivian Kingma, Ryan Klein, Bas de Leede, Musa Nadeem Ahmed, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O’Dowd, Vikram Singh, Antonius Staal
Possible XI for first ODI: 1. Max O’Dowd, 2. Musa Nadeem Ahmed, 3. Vikram Singh, 4. Bas de Leede, 5. Scott Edwards (wk), 6. Antonius Staal, 7. Pieter Seelaar (c), 8. Logan van Beek, 9. Aryan Dutt, 10. Fred Klaassen, 11. Clayton Floyd/Philippe Boissevain
West Indies:
Alzarri Joseph was named in the Windies squad, but he was part of the victorious Gujarat Titans squad in the IPL 2022 Final. So, he is unlikely to take part in the first ODI.
Possible XI for first ODI: 1. Shai Hope (wk), 2. Brandon King, 3. Shamarh Brooks, 4. Kyle Mayers, 5. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6. Rovman Powell, 7. Romario Shepherd, 8. Akeal Hosein, 9. Jayden Seales, 10. Shermon Lewis, 11. Hayden Walsh Jr
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Netherlands:
Scott Edwards is Netherlands’ leading run-scorer in ODIs this year. The keeper-batsman has struck 224 runs in six innings at an average of 37.33, which includes three fifties.
Max O’Dowd had a disappointing tour of New Zealand earlier in 2022 (20 runs in three innings). If Netherlands are to do well, they need O’Dowd to give them a good start. He has an average of 55.00 in seven home ODIs, including three fifties.
Vikramjit Singh looked in promising form against NZ. He made three starts (19, 31, 25) and looked good in all of them. Can he build on that here?
Pietar Seelaar is Netherlands’ equal second-highest wicket-taker in ODIs (55). 28 of his wickets have come at home at an average of 27.25 compared to 27 away at an average of 39.67.
Logan van Beek was in the wickets recently for Netherlands A against Ireland A (1/34 and 1/17). Also, he was the top wicket-taker of any bowler in New Zealand earlier this year (seven wickets, avg. 21.14, econ. 5.92).
Left-arm seamer Fred Klaassen took five wickets in three ODIs in that series in NZ (avg. 24.20, econ. 4.65).
West Indies:
Shai Hope has had a prolific few years in ODI cricket. He has struck 2,076 runs in 43 ODI knocks since the start of 2019 at an average of 53.2.
Can Nicholas Pooran make an immediate impression as full-time captain? He had a promising IPL campaign and was in fine touch in India before the tournament.
Rovman Powell smashed 250 runs at a strike rate of 149.70 in IPL 2022. Given Netherlands’ struggles at the death in New Zealand, Powell will be key as a finisher.
Romario Shepherd has a batting strike rate of 156.42 in 50 T20s, and will be looking to transfer that kind of form into the ODI arena. He also has 47 wickets in 40 List A matches along with 398 runs.
Jayden Seales could be a handful in these conditions as he swings the ball nicely away from the right-handers. He recently took 5/49 in a First Class match in the West Indies so he comes into this tour with some confidence.
Other Stats and Facts
This will be the first ODI between Netherlands and West Indies since the 2011 World Cup.
Netherlands have met West Indies just twice in ODI cricket. West Indies won both comfortably by 10 wickets in 2007 and 215 runs in 2011.
Shai Hope averages 51.88 in 17 ODI innings in Europe.
VRA Cricket Ground Amstelveen Pitch Report and Weather
This will be the first ODI on this ground since Netherlands hosted Nepal in a two-match series in 2018. Netherlands won the first ODI of that series after scoring 189 and Nepal won the second after scoring 216.
Expect the pacers to enjoy assistance in cool, cloudy conditions. Also, showers are forecast throughout the day.
NED vs WI 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction 31 May 2022
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.
Cricket News: List of most wickets by a spinner in an IPL season | Most wickets by a spinner in a single IPL season
Rajasthan Royals (RR) might not have won the trophy but Yuzvendra Chahal secured the Purple Cap with his sublime dismissal of Hardik Pandya in the IPL 2022 Final at Ahmedabad.
The role of spinners was under the scanner during the advent of the T20 format. Many feared that they would be taken to cleaners by batsmen due to the ruthless demands of the modern game.
But the slower bowlers have consistently reinvented themselves to become an integral asset for their respective teams.
Even the finalists of IPL 2022 were equipped with incredible spinners like Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rashid Khan and R Sai Kishore.
These players were instrumental in their respective side’s terrific run to the summit clash of the tournament. Here, let us take a look at the most wickets taken by a spinner in a single IPL campaign.
As mentioned earlier, Chahal was absolutely phenomenal in the recently-concluded season. The leg-spinner took 27 scalps in 16 encounters and he displayed a wide repertoire of skillsets.
Skipper Sanju Samson used him as an attacking option by often employing him in the death overs. Chahal might have been dismayed by not lifting the trophy eventually but should be very proud of the performances that he put throughout the season.
Most wickets by a spinner in an IPL season: Wanindu Hasaranga was outstanding in the middle overs in IPL 2022
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) stared a gaping hole in their bowling unit as they released Chahal prior to this season. However, they went big on Wanindu Hasaranga in the auction and would be proud of the Sri Lankan leggie’s outings this year as well.
Hasaranga might have taken some time to adapt to the league but he peaked at the right time. He swiftly became Faf du Plessis’ go-to option in the middle-overs and the franchise would surely be holding on to him for a long time now.
26 – Imran Tahir, 2019
Despite taking an equal number of wickets in 2019, Imran Tahir is placed third in this list as he played an additional game (17) as compared to Hasaranga this year. Playing in the slow and spin-friendly tracks at Chepauk, Tahir wreaked havoc with his leg-spin for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2019. The South African took two four-wicket hauls and maintained a terrific economy rate of 6.69 despite always being tasked with bowling the tough overs.
24 – Sunil Narine, 2012
Most wickets in a single IPL season: Sunil Narine has been outstanding over the years
Today’s generation might not properly recollect the aura that Sunil Narine carried when he broke into the IPL scene first in 2012. Apparently, Gautam Gambhir had spotted Narine in a Champions League T20 (CLT20) encounter in 2011 and was hell-bent upon having him in the KKR side in 2012. Narine lived up to the hype by taking 24 wickets and steering Kolkata to their maiden IPL trophy that year.
23 – Yuzvendra Chahal, 2015
It is only fitting that this list begins and ends with the most successful spinner in the history of the IPL. Chahal had spent a lot of time in the side-lines for Mumbai Indians (MI) before making his move to RCB in 2014.
The leg-spinner gradually came onto his own at the franchise and had a defining campaign in 2015 in which he took 23 wickets in 15 matches. Chahal emerged as a genuine wicket-taking option whilst bowling in a batsman’s paradise like the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. It is safe to say that the journey that began back then is still set to peak in the coming years.
Cricket News: Wake up call for New Zealand after loss in tour game | New Zealand lost tour game to First Class Counties XI
New Zealand fell to a seven-wicket defeat in their warmup game against the County Select XI at Chelmsford. Ben Compton and Nick Gubbins top-scored with 119 and 67 respectively to lead the side to a comfortable chase of 264 runs in the fourth innings.
In the process, Compton also completed his 1000 runs in the English summer before the end of May. But this feat would not be recognised officially given that this particular tour game against the Kiwis did not have the first-class status. Skipper Dominic Sibley offered great support upfront with a solid 34 as Hubbins remained unbeaten till the end to take his side home.
New Zealand were rolled for 148 in their second innings, with six of the top seven registering single-digit scores. Will Young, Kane Williamson and Tom Blundell scored ducks before the lower order fought back to get New Zealand to 148 after crumbling to 19/6. Jamie Porter did most of the damage, with the seamer taking 5/18 off his five overs.
Take a bow, @jamieporter93 who ends his opening spell of the day with figures of 5-2-18-5 ?
?? Will Young ❌ ?? Kane Williamson ❌ ?? Devon Conway ❌ ?? Tom Blundell ❌ ?? Colin de Grandhomme ❌ pic.twitter.com/GXA8x7Bcgb
Most New Zealand bowlers draw blank in tour game defeat
Most of the Kiwi bowlers drew blank with the likes of Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner failing to record a single dismissal in the fourth innings. Ajaz Patel struck twice but it wasn’t enough to stop the Select XI from cruising towards the total on the final day.
“They played really well and I think that’s exactly what you want in games like this. You want to be playing against some guys that are really in form and Ben Compton is one of those guys. It was good for us bowlers to get out there and work on a few plans and get that time in the legs which has been really crucial,” New Zealand pacer Matt Henry was quoted in a report by ESPNCricinfo.
He added, “It’s been great to have a couple of weeks here playing but I think everyone has had their eye on that first Test for a while now and I think everyone is looking forward to getting to London and getting the preparation underway.”
New Zealand had initially opted for a 20-player touring crew for the warmup games. But the management will trim that down upon the final squad on Monday.
The Kiwis tested nine different bowlers in the fourth innings. With Trent Boult just having completed his appearance in Rajasthan’s defeat to Gujarat in the IPL 2022 Final, the Black Caps are likely to go with a quartet of Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry for the Lord’s Test starting Thursday.
The County Select XI is comprised of the best first-class cricketers not required by their counties for the ongoing Vitality T20 Blast.
FCCXI vs New Zealand Tour Game Score Summary
County Select XI 247 (James 52, Haines 42, Patel 3-32) and 264 for 3 (Compton 119, Gubbins 67*) defeated New Zealand 362 for 9 (Henry 65, Mitchell 58, Patterson-White 3-60) and 148 (Wagner 36, Jamieson 36, Porter 5-31, Gibbon 3-36) by seven wickets.
Cricket News: The list of most runs in an IPL season | Which player has scored the most runs in a single IPL season?
Jos Buttler’s magnificent tally of 863 runs was not enough to lead Rajasthan Royals to the IPL 2022 Title, but it did put him among the highest scorers ever in a single IPL season.
He became the second batsman after Virat Kohli to ammass over 850 runs in a single season. He achieved it at an average of 57.53 and strike rate of 149.05, which played a very important role in Rajasthan Royals reaching the IPL 2022 Final.
Here is a look at where Buttler’s remarkable season sits in IPL history.
The fact that Jos Buttler had the season of a lifetime in 2022 and still fell over 100 runs short of Virat Kohli’s 973 says something. The former RCB captain was on a different planet in 2016, striking 11 50+ scores in 16 innings at a strike rate above 150. This included four centuries, which is the equal-most in IPL history.
863 – Jos Buttler, 2022
The list of most runs in an IPL season: Jos Buttler struck 863 runs in IPL 2022.
Buttler struck 83 fours and 45 sixes, both the most of any player in IPL 2022. Along the way, he equalled Kohli’s record of four centuries in a single season. In the end, he won the Orange Cap with ease and was awarded Most Valuable Player.
The next-highest run-scorer was KL Rahul, way behind on 616.
848 – David Warner, 2016
The list of most runs in an IPL season: David Warner hit 848 runs in IPL 2016.
Imagine smashing 848 runs in a single season and not winning the Orange Cap. That was the case for David Warner, who had an outstanding campaign in 2016.
While the then-Sunrisers Hyderabad captain missed out on the personal award, he lifted the major honour at the end of the season as SRH beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in a high-scoring, classic final at the Chinnaswamy.
735 – Kane Williamson, 2018
IPL 2022 was a season to forget for Kane Williamson, as he struggled to get going. His strike rate below 100 was a far cry to his amazing 2018 campaign, where he struck 735 runs at an average of 52.50 and strike rate of 144.50.
SRH reached the final that year only to fall short against a CSK side that made a glorious return to the league after a two-year suspension.
733 – Chris Gayle, 2012 and Mike Hussey, 2013
Chris Gayle, the greatest T20 batsman of all time, was the first player to cross 700 runs in a single IPL season. He achieved this in 2012 whilst playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The next season, Australian great Mike Hussey also struck 733 runs for Chennai Super Kings. It wasn’t enough to win the title as Mumbai Indians won the first of their five titles that year.
Cricket News: Twitter reactions as Gujarat Titans win IPL Title in 1st season | Reactions from fans & pundits on Gujarat winning the IPL
Written off by many before IPL 2022 began, Gujarat Titans have pulled off a magnificent achievement by winning the title in their first season. Led by skipper Hardik Pandya’s magnificent all-round performance in a packed Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Titans were far too good for the Rajasthan Royals who could only muster 130/9 after surprisingly choosing to bat first.
Heading into the season, the general consensus was that the Titans lacked the batting depth that other teams possessed. However, they utilised every single one of their resources to perfection. David Miller had a season to remember, Hardik led brilliantly both on and off the field and the bowling attack showcased its quality once again.
It is a title they thoroughly deserve after losing just four matches all season and winning a number of games from very difficult positions. After the match, Hardik spoke of his bowling and praised his team.
“I wanted to show what I have worked hard for, and today was the day from my bowling point of view, I saved the best for the best stage,” said the Titans captain.
Speaking about how this IPL title is different to the ones he won with Mumbai Indians, Hardik said, “It’s been exciting. This is going to be a special one because we spoke about creating legacy and making sure this is for the generation to come. Everyone will remember that this was the team who started this journey and first year [for us in the IPL] to win the championship is very special.”
Twitter reactions as Gujarat Titans win the IPL in their first season
Check out some of the reactions below to Gujarat Titans winning the IPL 2022 title.
This win has also opened the question of whether Pandya can be considered in the leadership options in future for India.
Lessons from #IPL2022 – You can't win Championships with overpriced players – No individual performance is greater than teamwork – You can't win Championships with overpriced players
Why did I repeat the same point? Here's the winning captain who's not part of that said team? pic.twitter.com/SwWohkxdDO
To be honest, the difference between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals was Hardik Pandya. Both teams have gun bowling attacks…but Hardik brought the much needed balance in the XI…something RR didn’t have. None of their top 6 batters bowled.
Congrats to Hardik Pandya and his @gujarat_titans one of two franchises to win tHe IPL in their first season. Wonderful bowling unit and so many different guys stepping up all season. ?????
They had a plan and they played to it magnificently. Everyone seemed to rise into their role but no one more so than Hardik Pandya who climbed his highest peak @gujarat_titans
Finally @rashidkhan_19 has a title. No one deserves a trophy more than him. What a superstar. GOAT. #IPLFinal
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) May 29, 2022
How did MI not retain this don Hardik Pandya man… Captain + batsman + gun fielder + bowler…. I mean they are not rookie franchises but the champion franchise lets this don go away… Should have given whatever he asked kept him for good.
What an amazing season by @gujarat_titans. To bring together a new group of players & gel so quickly speaks volumes of great leadership on & off the field. Wonderful to see a packed house, this is what we love the most about this competition, the fans. Well done to @BCCI as well
Maiden PSL title for Qalandars couple of months ago and now maiden IPL title for @gujarat_titans and superstar @rashidkhan_19 played a major role for both the teams.
GT vs RR IPL 2022 Final Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | GT vs RR Dream11 Prediction Today | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals Key Players | Ahmedabad Pitch Report
After 73 matches, endless drama and countless scenarios, it all comes down to this. Tens of thousands of fans will pack Narendra Modi Stadium for an event worthy of the hype as two excellent T20 teams go head-to-head for one of limited overs’ most prestigous prizes.
Before the tournament, there was that “good T20 team” feel about the Rajasthan Royals. After years of being the ‘nearly’ team, the Royals have gone to that extra level this season, reaching their first IPL Final since their triumph in 2008. On the other side of the coin, Gujarat Titans have surprised many with their sheer brilliance despite looking short on batting firepower on paper. David Miller has had a season to remember, with his numbers and performances under pressure on a different planet compared to recent years (details here).
Earlier in the week, it was Gujarat who triumphed courtesy of that man Miller. The Royals then bounced back with a clinical takedown of RCB thanks to a cohesive bowling effort and blockbusting knock by the magnificent Jos Buttler. The possible narratives in this clash are endless given the sheer number of players who can turn the game their team’s favour in Ahmedabad, and it could come down to one or two crucial moments as seen in IPL Finals of years gone by.
For the Royals, there is the added motivation of winning for the late, great Shane Warne. The legendary leg-spinner famously led the franchise to the inaugural title in 2008, and it will be fitting if the Royals win their second trophy in his honour.
Shubman Gill was looking in magnificent touch against Royals in Qualifier 1 (35 off 21 balls) before he was unfortunately run out. If he starts the same way in the Final, he is easily capable of a 50+ score.
Gill has improved his game when batting first, but he still looks his best when batting second. He averages 26.9 batting first (888 runs) compared to 37.9 batting second (967 runs) in the IPL.
Wriddhiman Saha has scored 312 runs in 10 innings at an average of 34.66 in IPL 2022. He has also effected 12 dismissals behind the stumps. So, can he bounce back after a duck against the Royals in Qualifier 1, where he was out to Boult?
Hardik Pandya has been superb against the Royals this season. The GT skipper has struck scores of 87* (52) and 43* (28) against them.
Of course, there is David Miller to watch out for. The left-hander has been reborn this season, with a clear focus on his game and backing from Hardik and GT. He has smashed 288 runs in run chases in IPL 2022 at an average of 144.00 and strike rate of 150.82, including 68* off 38 vs Royals.
Gujarat may look to try Rashid Khan early to Jos Buttler. He has dismissed Buttler four times in 41 balls in T20s, whilst conceding just 25.
Mohammed Shami will also be key up front. He could go around the wicket to Jaiswal and try to get him driving deliveries on the up on a pitch with some bounce. Also, Shami has dismissed Buttler twice in 47 balls in T20s (67 runs).
Rajasthan Royals:
Jos Buttler, of course. The magnificent opener equalled Virat Kohli’s record for most IPL centuries in a single season in a brilliant knock in Qualifier 2 vs RCB. Also, after a slow start against Gujarat in Qualifier 1, he finished with 89 off 56 balls.
Buttler also belted 54 off 24 balls against Gujarat in the league stage. He has struck an incredible 824 runs this season at an average of 58.85 and strike rate of 151.47.
Sanju Samson has not made the big scores, but he has been effective for the most part. He has struck ten 20+ scores this season, with a total of 444 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 147.50. This includes a fluent 26-ball 47 in Qualifier 1 vs GT.
If Yashasvi Jaiswal gets going, it will help Jos Buttler and co. settle in. He has top-scored for the Royals thrice in their past six matches, and a fast start is what the men in pink will be after.
Obed McCoy has taken eight wickets in 58 deliveries at the death in IPL 2022. Given Gujarat are excellent in this phase (especially when chasing), McCoy will have a key role to play in limiting their impact.
Powerplay wickets will be key for the Royals. Trent Boult dismissed Wriddhiman Saha for a duck in Qualifier 1 and has dismissed Shubman Gill once in 27 deliveries in the IPL, whilst conceding just 32.
Yuzvendra Chahal has gone wicketless in the past two matches. However, with the big boundaries and his wicket-taking ability (26 scalps this season), he and R Ashwin will be crucial.
Other Stats and Facts
Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals in both meetings in IPL 2022.
Jos Buttler can set a record of the most centuries in an IPL season if he gets another today (details here).
Rashid Khan has not taken a wicket against the Royals this season, but he has conceded just 39 runs off his eight overs.
Prasidh Krishna, like Boult, will be key in the powerplay. He took 3/22 last game vs RCB. Can he bounce back vs GT, whom he has been wicketless and expensive against this season? (0/35 and 0/40)
Sanju Samson has the most dismissals of any player this season – 16.
Mohammed Shami has taken seven wickets in his past four matches vs Royals.
Four of Yash Dayal’s 10 wickets this season have come against the Royals.
Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad Pitch Report and Weather
The Ahmedabad surface for Qualifier 2 had extra bounce in it. Expect the bowlers to focus on a good length with big square boundaries.
Faf du Plessis said RCB’s 158 was well short of par. The Royals chased down the 159 with ease.
In the Final, expect the captain who wins the toss to choose to chase. There may be movement upfront with the new ball bowling first. Also, in the case of the Royals, they will want to avoid a situation where chasing kings Gujarat bat second.
Another hot evening is forecast, with a chance of dew.
GT vs RR Dream11 Prediction IPL 2022 Final 29 May 2022
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article as well as your own instincts to create your teams.
Option 1:
IPL 2022 Final: GT vs RR Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
IPL 2022 Final: GT vs RR Dream11 Prediction
Fan2Play Prediction
Base team:
Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler, Wriddhiman Saha, Sanju Samson
Batsmen: David Miller, Shubman Gill
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya
Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami
Match Prediction
This has the makings of a classic Final. The chasing team is likeliest to prevail, with the team batting first needing to aim for at least 170 to feel in the game.
In line with CricBlog’s pre-season prediction, we will back Rajasthan Royals to win the title.
Cricket News: Most IPL centuries in a single season | Jos Buttler equals Virat Kohli’s record for the most IPL centuries in a single season
Jos Buttler’s amazing IPL 2022 story has another beautiful chapter written in it. The Rajasthan Royals opener has equalled Virat Kohli’s record of four centuries in a single season, not achieved since Kohli’s incredible 973-run campaign in 2016.
Ironically, Buttler’s fourth ton of 2022 knocked Virat Kohli’s RCB out of the tournament. Chasing 159 for victory, Buttler overcame recent slow starts to get the Royals off to a flyer, and they never looked back.
It prompted Sri Lanka legend and Royals Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara to say that he can’t remember any player batting as beautifully as Buttler has in 2022. When asked about Buttler’s strengths, Sangakkara simply said “It’s his overall game. He’s got some pretty potent strengths, and once he recognises that and trusts those strengths, he then manoeuvres the rest of the bowling to go more and more into his strengths.”
“Some days you have to fight and look ugly, other days your rhythm is there. The reality is you can’t fight that condition, but fight what’s happening on the day. You have to settle into it and build an innings. He can accelerate at any point, has all the strokes and understands the game really well. I can’t remember anyone batting this well in the history of the IPL,” he continued.
Most centuries in a single IPL season: Virat Kohli was on a different planet in IPL 2016.
Virat Kohli’s stunning tally of 973 back in 2016 will almost certainly remain intact. The former RCB captain struck seven 50+ scores in 16 innings that season at a strike rate of 152.03.
Incredibly, David Warner hammered 848 runs that year. While he didn’t win the Orange Cap, he held the trophy aloft in a season that played a key role in his incredible IPL legacy.
Chris Gayle became the first player to strike multiple centuries in a single season, back in 2011. Hashim Amla did so in 2017, followed by Shane Watson in CSK’s title-winning year in 2018.
Shikhar Dhawan scored two in Delhi’s 2020 campaign where they reached the Final. Lucknow’s KL Rahul scored two in 2022, both against Mumbai Indians.
Cricket News: So close, yet so far: Twitter reactions as RCB wait for IPL trophy continues | Reactions as RCB lose Qualifier 2 against the Royals
A Jos Buttler and bowling masterclass by the Rajasthan Royals has prolonged the IPL trophy drought for Royal Challengers Bangalore. After heading into Qualifier 2 full of momentum after a memorable win over Lucknow Super Giants, RCB lost comfortably by seven wickets with 11 balls to spare in Ahmedabad.
It is another case of what could have been for RCB. They are the only team to qualify for the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, but they have not reached the final in this period. The franchise may need to look at a dynamic opener for IPL 2023 and beyond, as the sheer contrast in the batting powerplay between the teams was key in the final analysis.
Skipper Faf du Plessis echoed those thoughts somewhat in the post-match presentation, stating “when we walked off the field we felt we were a bit short.”
“It was pretty challenging with the new ball, it moved around a bit. But we got through the first six without much damage. It felt like Test cricket in that first session. More bounce really. Still we felt 180 was par,” said the RCB captain.
Despite the near miss, du Plessis said he was proud of the team for their effort in qualifying for the playoffs in a competitive 10-team league. “I am really proud otherwise. It has been a great season for RCB,” he said.
Twitter reactions as RCB suffer another near miss in their quest for an IPL trophy
Winning an IPL is incredibly difficult. RCB did a lot of things right.Role clarity, good auction, not dependent on a few players but still fell short. Royals making their 1st final in 14 years. DC's best chance was in the last cycle but failed. 2 teams won 9 titles is a big deal.
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) May 27, 2022
We bought Christian, t20 leagues trophy magnet, didn't work. We even bought karn sharma IPL trophy magnet now, that also didn't work.
Third year with RCB and 15th year as a die-hard fan of the team. Still hurts the same when we end up so close to the finish line. But the love for this team only grows stronger.❤️ Excellent group of players & support staff and they gave it their everything for 75 days! #RCB#IPL
RCB have one year to prepare Finn Allen, what he can offer is a lot of what they’ve missed this year. Whether he’ll deliver is another question, but the amount of top level cricket he’ll have under his belt by that point I’m going to say he can and he will
Saying RCB made a mistake by retaining Siraj, or Siraj wasn't retention worthy is hindsight 101.
In the 2 seasons before this, Siraj took 22 wkts at an ER of 7.41, Avg 26.6 & SR of 21.5 with a dot ball % of 50.8 overall. His ER in the PP was 6.58, and at the death was 8.05.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) May 27, 2022
RCB have a good base. They've realized that a team needs investment in local batters and not just a fan club around stars.
Throughout the season, the assurance of DK being there to maximize the slog-overs was incredible. As long as his entry point wasn't messed up, you were almost always sure that he'll pull it off.
242 runs in the slog-overs at 81/220 is out of this world.
Now, the Rajasthan Royals will face Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2022 Final. RR will seek revenge for their loss in Qualifier 1 as they strive to achieve the perfect tribute for the late, great Shane Warne.
