IPL 2019 highlights: Match abandoned; Shreyas Gopal takes hattrick

Shreyas Gopal took a memorable hat-trick, helping Rajasthan Royals limit Royal Challengers Bangalore to 62 for seven in a five overs a side shootout

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RCB playoffs chances

The only team which is all but out of the tournament is Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Even though they still have a mathematical chance with 8 points from 12 games, skipper Virat Kohli made it clear that for them the last two games are about going out and expressing themselves.

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WATCH: Team RCB during practice session

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Two playoffs spot and five teams are in race

With eight games left in the group stages of VIVO Indian Premier League 2019 (IPL 2019), it is still undecided who will seal the IPL playoffs spot.  Five teams -- Mumbai Indians (MI), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) -- are fighting it out for the last two slots in the playoffs with Delhi Capitals (DC) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) already through with 16 points each from their respective 12 games.
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6:10 PM

Steve Smith on Shreyas Gopal

Smith was also lavish in his praise for all-rounder Shreyas Gopal. "He has been terrific for us. Every time we have given him the ball, he has done the job for us. He has taken big wickets. He has varied skill sets. He bowls googlies, sliders and mixes things up.
 
"Also, his batting is under-rated. He has come in and played some very handy cameos at the end. He has also taken good catches. His package of cricket has been huge for us," he said.

Rajasthan Royals' Shreyas Gopal celebrates after dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore's Moeen Ali during IPL 2018 cricket match, in Jaipur. File Photo: PTI

5:54 PM

Steve Smith on Rajasthan Royals playoffs chances

Smith-led Rajasthan Royals are sitting at the penultimate spot on the points table and will be keen to win their final two encounter to keep their faint play-off hopes alive.
 
"It is important for us to win the last two games to give us any chance to qualify for playoffs. I hope the boys would get over the line tomorrow and defeat Delhi Capitals thereafter," Smith said.

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IPL has helped me prepare for 50-over cricket, says Smith ahead of World Cup

Former Australian captain Steve Smith on Monday said competing in the IPL has immensely helped his preparation for the upcoming 50-over World Cup.
 
Both Smith and former Australia vice-captain David Warner have served out their year-long international bans for their role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year. Now, they head back home from IPL to join the national team camp for the World Cup beginning May 30.
 
While serving their bans, Smith and Warner had participated in several T20 competitions, including in Canada and the Caribbean, in their bid to get play time.
 
"Personally for me, playing IPL is to spend some time in the middle to take on quality opposition and best players," Smith said ahead of Rajasthan's match with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
 
"I think T20 cricket almost prepares you well for 50 overs cricket. It is an extended version of T20 cricket, the way it has been played in the last two years," he added.
 
Asked about his World Cup preparations Smith, who went through an elbow surgery in January said: "Preparations wise I am really comfortable. I head home and play three practice matches against New Zealand. A couple of warmup matches when we get to England. There is plenty of time to get prepared."

5:30 PM

Here’s what happened when RR hosted RCB

In Match 14 of VIVO Indian Premier League 2019 (IPL 2019), leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal bamboozled Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers among others with his googlies before Jos Buttler struck 59 as Rajasthan Royals finally won their first game of IPL 2019with a seven-wicket defeat of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCS) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Tuesday. Gopal claimed three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli (23) and AB de Villiers (13), conceding just 12 runs in his four-quota over to unsettle RCB. It was opener Parthiv who resisted the Royals attack with aplomb, hitting a belligerent 67 off 41 balls with nine boundaries and six to help his side put 158 for four after being sent in to bat. Marcus Stoinis (31 not out) too played a key part in shoring up team's total, add 32 quick runs in partnership with Moeen Ali (18). Check RR vs RCB highlights here  

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Preview

Having won their last two fixtures in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), Rajasthan Royals will be hoping for another win and keep their slim chances of making it to the playoffs alive when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. With 10 points from 12 games, Rajasthan are currently languishing at the second last spot in the points table. They would be hoping to continue their winning streak after securing victories in their last two matches against Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
 
After Tuesday's game, skipper Steve Smith would be leaving for Australia to join the national camp ahead of the upcoming World Cup. And thus, he would be desperate to end his IPL 2019 campaign on a winning note. On the other hand, RCB are now out of the contention of making it to the playoffs after losing to table toppers Delhi Capitals in their last game. RCB captain Virat Kohli has already insisted that they would like to remain positive in the remaining two matches and would be playing a positive brand of cricket. "The important thing now, with two games left, is to go out there and have fun. Not take too much pressure. Obviously we want to perform as best as we can, but the fun factor should not go away," Kohli said after the Delhi game. "We put ourselves under too much pressure in the first six games and then it is always hard work in the latter half. We have to go out there and play positive cricket. Once the last two games are done, sit down and see where the tournament goes," he added.