IPL 2020: Match 50, KXIP v RR – COC Predicted Playing XIs

This is a must-win game for RR team as a loss here will eliminate them from playoffs' race.

The 50^th match of the IPL 2020 will see Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on October 30, 2020. KXIP has seen a massive upswing in their fortunes as they are on a five-match winning streak and are placed 4^th on the points table with 12 points, while RR lost a few matches in a string and are placed 7^th with 10 points.

This means that a win here for RR will keep them in the hunt for a playoff spot and make the points table a bit more interesting. KXIP will look to win the match and move into the cluster of teams with 14 points to their name.

Here is the COC Predicted Playing XIs for the KXIP v RR match in Abu Dhabi.

KINGS XI PUNJAB (KXIP)

The KXIP team has found a great balance to their team with the inclusion of Chris Gayle in the middle order. With KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal and for the previous two matches Mandeep Singh going great guns at the top, Gayle, along with Nicholas Pooran has ripped apart opposition spinners in the middle overs, giving great impetus to KXIP’s scoring rate.

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However, with Mayank Agarwal seemingly fit for the encounter against Rajasthan, Deepak Hooda might make way for him in the playing XI and it will be a huge boost for the Punjab team, which will look to continue their winning ways.

Also helping them win matches is the spin combo of M Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi, who have strangled the opposition with amazing accuracy and have also picked wickets with regularity, giving Mohammad Shami huge relief. Chris Jordan and Arshdeep Singh have also done a great job keep Shami amped for death overs by building pressure at one end.

A win here for KXIP will certainly put them firmly in contention for a playoffs’ spot.   

RAJASTHAN ROYALS (RR)

Rajasthan Royals has been a curious case of team management picking one of the wildest playing combinations each game in the IPL 2020 season. They have tried a host of openers of which Ben Stokes was a left-field decision. He did score a century to chase down 195 against MI.

His partners have not yet worked out with Robin Uthappa, Sanju Samson, and Steve Smith himself taking turns. Jos Buttler has been relegated to a finisher’s role despite being one of the most destructive openers in IPL for the past 2-3 seasons. Unfortunately, that has been done to give some experience to their middle-order which had Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia as finishers/all-rounders.

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However, their biggest failure has been no support to the brilliant Jofra Archer with the ball. Kartik Tyagi, Jaydev Unadkat, and co have not done justice to their roles, while Archer has done the damage with the ball.

Such problems with playing combinations and backing the wrong players have resulted in RR going into all of their remaining matches as a must-win match.

KXIP COC Predicted Playing XI:

KL Rahul (C&WK), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Jordan, M Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh

RR COC Predicted Playing XI:

Robin Uthappa, Ben Stokes, Steve Smith (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Jos Buttler, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi