IPL 2021: Match 36 - DC vs RR: Preview, probable XIs, match prediction, live streaming, weather forecast, and pitch report

The first double-header of the UAE leg of IPL 2021 will take place on Saturday, 25th September. The Delhi Capitals take on the Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in the first match of the day. Later, Sunrisers Hyderabad go up against the Punjab Kings in Sharjah.

DC and RR come into this game on the back of different types of wins. While DC eased past SRH to an 8-wicket win, RR snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against PBKS in the most dramatic fashion.

Shreyas Iyer returned to the playing XI for DC although Rishabh Pant retained the captaincy. After losing the toss and fielding first, DC asserted control right from the first over and never let the SRH batters get away. Anrich Nortje was brilliant, and so was his Proteas teammate Kagiso Rabada. Axar Patel was also miserly in his four-over spell.

Set a target of 135, DC cruised to the total with thirteen balls to spare, courtesy of contributions from Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer and a quickfire 35 from skipper Rishabh Pant. A potential injury to Marcus Stoinis was the only negative from an excellent game for the Capitals.

RR, on the other hand, started well after being put in to bat. Openers Evin Lewis and Yashasvi Jaiswal got off to a cracker of a start. Even as wickets fell, the run rate stayed positive. Mahipal Lomror then took the attack to the PBKS bowlers, and his 17-ball 43 put RR in a position to get to 200. However, a spirited death bowling effort from the PBKS seamers dragged them to 185/9.

They were sloppy on the field and dropped PBKS skipper KL Rahul thrice, allowing him to get to 49 before getting him out. Punjab's opening partnership of 120 virtually took RR out of the game despite Rahul and Mayank's successive dismissals. Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran looked to have taken PBKS home, with just eight runs required off the last two overs.

However, a tight penultimate over from Mustafizur Rahman and an excellent last over from Kartik Tyagi saw RR win a game they were nowhere near winning by two runs.

Despite the difference in the nature of the wins, both sides would've gained a lot of confidence. While DC will look to consolidate their position at the top of the table, RR could break into the top four with a win in this game.

The last time these sides met, Chris Morris helped RR win a thriller of a match. Let's hope for more of the same in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

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Match Details

Date: September 25, 2021 (Saturday)

Time: 3:30 PM IST

Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

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Weather Forecast

It should be a hot afternoon in Abu Dhabi, with an average temperature of around 36 degrees celsius. It could be a tough time for the players, with their stamina likely to be tested.

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Pitch Report

The wicket at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium should be on the slower side on Saturday. While the surface should still assist the seamers more, the slower balls should stick in the wicket more. We're likely to get a moderately high-scoring game, with a total of around 170-175 a par score.

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Predicted XIs

Rajasthan Royals

Can Chris Morris deliver a match-winning performance once more? (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

The Royals should name an unchanged playing XI for this match, with this team combination lending them a balanced look. They'll expect Chris Morris to get back to form with the ball and deliver along with their young pace guns.

Rajasthan Royals (RR): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Evin Lewis, Sanju Samson (c/wk), Liam Livingstone, Mahipal Lomror, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Chris Morris, Kartik Tyagi, Mustafizur Rahman, and Chetan Sakariya.

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Delhi Capitals

Shreyas Iyer looked solid on his return from injury. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Marcus Stoinis is set to miss out for the Capitals with a hamstring strain. Sam Billings could take his place in the middle order, with Steve Smith another option.

Delhi Capitals (DC): Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Sam Billings/ Steve Smith, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and Avesh Khan.

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Match Prediction

Despite the winning momentum they gained after their win over PBKS, RR are clearly the weaker team on paper when compared to DC. While they have what it takes to spring another surprise, DC are the favorites to come up trumps in this contest.

Prediction: Delhi Capitals to win.

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TV and Live Streaming Details

TV: Star Sports Network

Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar VIP