IPL 2022, PBKS vs RR: 3 player battles to watch out for

Rajasthan Royals (RR) will play their 11th match of IPL 2022 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) today at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Both franchises are alive in the race to the playoffs, and a win in this fixture could bolster their chances of finishing in the top four.

The Royals are third in the IPL 2022 standings at the moment with 12 points from 10 matches. The Kings, on the other hand, are seventh with five wins and five losses from 10 games. A win at the Wankhede Stadium could propel the Kings to the fourth position on the points table.

Fans will witness a high-stakes match in Mumbai today. While the game between the Rajasthan Royals and the Punjab Kings promises to be an exciting one, the following three player battles will prove to be decisive in this contest.

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#1 IPL 2022 Orange Cap holder Jos Buttler vs Kagiso Rabada

Jos Buttler has been the best batter of IPL 2022 thus far. The Rajasthan Royals opener is at the helm of the Orange Cap leaderboard with 588 runs to his name from 10 matches. Some fans feel that the RR star could break Virat Kohli's all-time record of 973 runs in an IPL season.

Buttler could inch a step closer to that record by playing a big knock against the Punjab Kings. However, he may find it challenging to score runs off Kagiso Rabada's bowling. The South African speedster has troubled the opposition batters in recent matches.

Rabada is currently the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022 with 17 wickets from nine matches. He will be keen to dismiss Buttler cheaply and give the Punjab Kings the upper hand in the contest.

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#2 Shikhar Dhawan vs Yuzvendra Chahal

Shikhar Dhawan is the leading run-scorer for the Punjab Kings in IPL 2022. The left-handed batter has scored 369 runs in 10 innings at an average of 46.13. Dhawan is the highest run-getter among all left-handed batters in this year's IPL.

Yuzvendra Chahal, meanwhile, owns the Purple Cap right now. The Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner has picked up 19 wickets in 10 matches, including one hat-trick.

Sanju Samson may introduce Chahal into the attack early to dismiss Dhawan cheaply in today's fixture. Chahal is in top form and could trouble the PBKS batter.

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#3 Rahul Chahar vs Sanju Samson

PBKS leg-spinner Rahul Chahar is 12th on the overall Purple Cap leaderboard (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Rahul Chahar has led the Punjab Kings spin attack in this competition. The right-arm leg-spinner has scalped 12 wickets in 10 matches, with his best bowling figures being 3/25 while his economy rate has been 7.57.

Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson has scored 298 runs in 10 matches this season. Samson has had some issues while dealing with leg-spinners. It will be interesting to see how he plays against Chahar today in the match against the Punjab Kings.