Rajasthan Royals’ hopes of making it to the playoffs are dwindling after their fifth consecutive loss. The team was on track to win against Royal Challengers Bangalore, chasing a target of 206 runs, but Josh Hazlewood’s impressive 19th over changed the game. He took two crucial wickets, restricting the team to just one run, and snatched victory from their hands.
Hazlewood had already made an impact in the 17th over, conceding only six runs and taking the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s subsequent over, which yielded 22 runs, had shifted the momentum in Rajasthan’s favor. The Royals needed 18 runs off 12 balls, but Hazlewood’s heroics derailed their chances.
Rajathan Royals’ Struggles Continue
This loss marks Rajasthan’s seventh defeat of the season, with only two wins so far. They have managed just four points from nine matches and currently sit eighth on the points table. Their net run rate stands at -0.625, slightly better than Hyderabad and Chennai, who also have four points each. To stay in contention, Rajasthan will need to win all their remaining five matches, a challenging task.
The team’s fate now rests on the performance of other teams. If they manage to win all their remaining matches, they will end up with 14 points. While this has been enough for teams to qualify for the playoffs in the past, it seems unlikely this season. Rajasthan can only hope that no other team reaches 16 points by the end of the group stage.
Current Standings
The top four teams – Gujarat, Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai – are looking strong, with the top three having 12 points each. Mumbai, Punjab, and Lucknow follow closely, with 10 points each. Rajasthan’s remaining fixtures are against:
- Gujarat Titans
- Mumbai Indians
- Kolkatta Knight Riders
- Chennai Super Kings
- Punjab Kings
It’s going to be a tough road ahead for the Royals.