IPL 2018 Flashback: RR vs KXIP

The 12th edition of IPL is just a day away and the excitement level is sky high. The first match will be played on March 23 between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai at 8 PM IST.

Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab will begin their campaign at Sawai Mansingh Stadium Jaipur on March 25 at 8 PM IST, which would be the match number 4 of IPL 2019. In IPL 2018, RR finished at the 4th position while KXIP finished 7th in the table.

RR and KXIP have met each other in IPL 17 times. RR have won 10 of them while KXIP have managed to win 6, with one match ending on a tie (which RR won in the super over). RR have won the IPL title once (2008) while the best season of KXIP is 2014 in which they were the runners-up.

This year, the key players for RR would be Steve Smith, Ben Stokes, Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson. On the other hand, KXIP would look towards KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Andrew Tye and Mohammed Shami.

On that note, let us look back at the matches played between these two teams in the 2018 season of the IPL.

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#1. Match No. 38, RR vs KXIP - Leg 1

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

The first match between RR and KXIP in IPL 2018 was played at Indore on May 6, 2018. KXIP won the toss and elected to field first.

Batting first, RR lost two wickets in the first 4 overs. Then Sanju Samson joined Buttler, and the duo stitched together a partnership of 49 runs.

After the departure of Samson for 28, wickets started to fall at regular intervals. Amidst these, Buttler scored 51 from 39 balls. Towards the end, Shreyas Gopal scored 24 to take RR to a total of 152/9. For KXIP, Mujeeb Ur Rahman picked three wickets.

Although KXIP lost Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal for single digits at the start of their chase, KL Rahul stood solid at one end, and his partnership with Karun Nair and Marcus Stoinis ensured that KXIP chased down the target comfortably in 18.4 overs. Rahul scored 84 from 54 balls.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was named Man of the Match for his bowling figures of 4-0-27-3.

#2. Match No. 40, MI vs KXIP - Leg 2

Jos Buttler

The second match between RR and KXIP, in IPL 2018, was played at Jaipur on May 8, 2018. RR won the toss and elected to bat first.

RR made a good start with Buttler going after the bowlers. However, wickets continued to fall at the other end, and no one apart from Sanju Samson gave support to Buttler.

Samson scored 22 and Butler got out for 82 from 52 balls. RR finished at 158/8 in 20 overs. For KXIP, Andrew Type picked four wickets.

In reply, KXIP were reduced to 19/3 in four overs, and they never recovered from that. KL Rahul continued to score runs, but RR picked wickets at regular intervals.

Rahul remained not out at 95 and the only other batsman who got into double digits was Marcus Stoinis with 11. In the end, KXIP finished at 143/7, 15 runs short of the target.

Jos Buttler was named Man of the Match for his 82 runs from 58 balls.