IPL 2020: RR vs KXIP Game Plan 2 – The Pivotal Death Overs

The ninth match of the IPL 2020 tournament between the blockbuster teams, Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, could all be about match-ups. We take a look at a key game plan that could play a role in the ninth game of IPL 2020 – RR vs KXIP.

RR vs KXIP Game Plan – Can the death overs decide the outcome of the match?

One established fact among the IPL fanatics is that in recent years, the Royal Challengers Bangalore have been among the worst while bowling in the final few overs. What might go under the radar is the fact that the teams to follow RCB – in terms of death bowling numbers – are Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.

Also Read: IPL 2020: RR vs KXIP Game Plan 1 – The Dual Wrist-spin Threat

Since 2018, RR concede 11.52 runs per over in between overs 17 – 20, while KXIP concede 11.20. Roughly speaking, it means these two teams both concede 45 runs in the last four overs on average. KXIP in their first match of the tournament ended with a horrendous 20th over, which was taken for 30 runs. Meanwhile RR, against CSK, conceded 62 runs in the final four at a time when they should have looked to restrict and win by a larger margin.

Today when these two teams clash, the deciding factor will be taking advantage of the bowling in the death overs. If the recent past is anything to go by, both teams haven’t been particularly good at doing so. Since the start of IPL 2018, KXIP score at 10.29 rpo while RR score at 9.69 rpo. As we looked at in the previous game-plan, this is a direct consequence of teams being top-heavy, and not getting contributions from their finishers.

To maximize the wayward bowling that will be on offer, it is essential for one of the top-order bats to play throughout the innings. KXIP’s previous match is a perfect example on how teams can cash in with the presence of a set batsman in the slog overs. After 16 overs, KL Rahul had faced 51 balls for 72 runs.

During the death overs, he faced 18 more balls in which he scored 60 more runs at a rate of 20 per over. The team’s collective run-rate went from 8.25 after 16 overs to 10.30 after their allocated overs. Rahul’s partner Karun Nair, who was new to the crease, scored 13 runs in the six balls he faced in this time, which is considerably good, but pales in comparison to what the set batsman managed to do.

For their respective teams, KL Rahul (once again) and Sanju Samson are the top-order players who have done well at the death. However it is not limited to these batsmen to score at the death. A quick starter, someone who takes less time to get his eye in, is also crucial and in Glenn Maxwell and to a lesser extent David Miller, both teams have one such player. This contest between which team does better in this phase will definitely be one to keep an eye out for.