3 matches that could spice up the fifth week of IPL 2022

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is now four weeks old. A look at the points table tells us that the Gujarat Titans (GT) have managed to maintain a slender leader at the top. They have registered 12 points from seven matches, winning six and losing only one game. Four IPL teams are on 10 points, and are only separated by the net run rate. The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) occupy the second spot, having won five games in a row. They are followed by the Rajasthan Royals (RR), the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

The inconsistent sides have slipped to the second half of the IPL 2022 points table. The Delhi Capitals (DC) have six points from seven matches while the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are also stuck on the same number of points, having lost their last four matches. The Punjab Kings (6 points), the Chennai Super Kings (4 points) and Mumbai Indians (0 points) complete the bottom three.

Week four began with a high-scoring match between RR and KKR, with Rajasthan emerging triumphant courtesy Yuzvendra Chahal’s hat-trick. MS Dhoni then played a memorable cameo to lift CSK to a last-ball victory over MI. Fans and organizers will be hoping for more thrilling encounters in the fifth week of IPL 2022. Here’s a look at three matches that can spice up Week 5.

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#1 RCB vs RR (Match 39, April 26 at MCA Stadium)

There will be plenty of intrigue surrounding Bangalore when they take on Rajasthan in Pune. Few teams blow hot and cold in the IPL in the manner that RCB do. They went into the match against Hyderabad high on confidence, having tasted impressive wins over Delhi and Lucknow. However, RCB’s batting was completely blown away as they crumbled to 68 all out. It would be interesting to see how they recover from the setback.

Rajasthan will go into the contest against Bangalore high on confidence, with two victories to their name in the last two matches. Jos Buttler scored centuries in both games. However, the last time these two sides met in IPL 2022, RCB emerged on top in a chase of 170. Dinesh Karthik finished off the match by smashing an unbeaten 44 in 23 balls. RR will thus be keen to make their mark in the ‘Royal’ battle.

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#2 GT vs SRH (Match 40, April 27 at Wankhede Stadium)

On current form, Gujarat and Hyderabad are the two most dangerous sides in IPL 2022, which explains why they occupy the top two spots in the points table. Hardik Pandya-led GT have only lost one match in their debut season. That defeat came at the hands of SRH, when the two sides met at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Rather surprisingly, Gujarat got hammered by eight wickets, so they will have a point to prove when they face Hyderabad this week.

After SRH lost their first two matches in IPL 2022, there were fears that their campaign was heading in a similar direction to last season, when they finished last. However, Hyderabad have lifted themselves in admirable fashion and have stitched together a five-match winning streak. In their last match, they thumped RCB by nine wickets after bundling them out for 68. Their confidence would be sky-high going into the clash against Gujarat.

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#3 DC vs LSG (Match 45, May 1 at Wankhede Stadium)

Despite all the COVID-19 related trouble in the camp, DC managed to clobber Punjab by nine wickets in a match played at the Brabourne Stadium. Their next game against Rajasthan was marred by the no-ball controversy in the last over. To be fair though, RR were the better side overall and deserved to win. Delhi have shown glimpses of brilliance in IPL 2022, but need to find better consistency.

The last time Delhi took on Lucknow in IPL 2022, the KL Rahul-led outfit eased to a six-wicket victory in a chase of 150. LSG are in ominous form, having won two of their last three matches. Rahul has struck two hundreds, both against Mumbai. However, if they play to their potential, Delhi have the personnel to give Lucknow a tough fight. The DC vs LSG clash has the ingredients to produce a thriller.

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