Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders Prediction & Betting Tips -

Prediction published on 17/05/2024, 06:30  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 17/05/2024 at 06:32 in Indian Premier League Predictions

The final match of the 2024 Indian Premier League group stage will be played on Sunday afternoon when the Rajasthan Royals play host to the Kolkata Knight Riders. The hosts are currently in second place, while the visitors lead the standings. It’s somewhat fitting that the group stage will conclude with the two best teams to date facing off in what could end up being a preview of the IPL final on May 26. However, the Royals are stumbling over the finish line, having lost their last four games. Nevertheless, thanks to their excellent form earlier in the competition, they will definitely secure second place if they beat Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. If they lose, they can still hold onto the number two spot if SRH earn no more than one point from their final game, and if CSK also get no more than one point against RCB. If SRH's game is washed out again, RR will have more wins, which is the first tiebreaker ahead of the net run rate when teams are tied on points. However, the Royals could drop to fourth place if they lose to KKR, SRH beat PBKS, and CSK defeat RCB.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders were the first team to secure their place in the playoffs and tied down the top spot after their last match against the Gujarat Titans was washed out. That result took them to 19 points, three clear of the Royals with only one game to play. KKR have arguably been the most balanced side in the competition, benefiting from contributions from top to bottom of the scorecard. Sunil Narine has caught the eye in the tournament, currently ranked eighth in the leading run-scorer charts with 461 runs, while he has also been very good with the ball, currently 12th in the purple cap standings with 15 wickets. Phil Salt, Varun Chakaravarthy and Andre Russell have also put in standout performances, helping their team enter the eliminators as favourites to lift the trophy. While the Royals won the match between these sides earlier in the competition, KKR are the clear favourites in this one.