With just one play-off spot to play for, Rajasthan takes on defending champions Mumbai in Match 51 of the Indian T20 League at Sharjah on Tuesday evening.

Rajasthan kept their hopes alive by beating the high-flying Chennai team in their previous match by 7 wickets. They are currently placed 6th in the table, with 10 points from 12 games, and need to win their remaining two matches to make it to the play-offs.

Mumbai, on the other hand, haven’t got going in the second leg and won only one of their 5 matches. They are currently placed 7th in the points table with 10 points and need big wins in the last two matches to have any chance of qualifying for the play-offs. A loss in this match will see either team practically out of the qualification race.

Match Details

• Game: Rajasthan vs. Mumbai, Match 51
• Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
• Date & Time: Oct. 5, 2021, at 7:30 PM IST/6 PM Local

Probable Playing XI

Rajasthan

Evin Lewis, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (C & WK), Shivam Dube, Glenn Phillips, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Mayank Markande, Chetan Sakariya, Akash Singh, Mustafizur Rahman

Mumbai

Rohit Sharma (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jayant Yadav, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

Weather Report

The weather in Sharjah is predicted to be hot and humid, with the temperature expected to be around 32 degrees during the match.

Pitch Report

The pitches in Sharjah have been kind to bowlers this season. Despite the small boundaries and the fast outfield, batters have struggled to make big runs on a slow track. Spinners have been more dominant than the pacers here. The average first-innings score in the Indian T20 League 2021 has been 134 runs.

Toss

The teams batting second have enjoyed more success, winning 4 of the 5 matches played in the second leg. Only Punjab managed to defend a low total against Hyderabad here. A total of around 150 should be a competitive one on this surface. 

Top Fantasy Picks

Wicketkeeper

• Sanju Samson has been the shining light in the Rajasthan batting line-up and is currently placed 4th in the list of top run scorers, having made 480 runs in 12 matches. He uses his feet with good impact against spinners and will be a threat in the middle overs.

Batters

• Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden half-centuryscored his maiden half century in the league against Chennai last time. He reached the landmark in just 19 deliveries, hitting 6 boundaries and 3 sixes in the process. In his eight matches this season, he has scored 237 runs at a strike rate of 151.92.
• Rohit Sharma has struggled for runs in the second leg, which has impacted the team’s performance this season. After a good start in the first two games, he has been dismissed cheaply in the last two matches. Expect him to bounce back, given that the qualification hopes of his team are on the line.

All-rounder

• Rahul Tewatia was the standout bowler against Chennai with figures of 3/39. He has also been handy with the bat, making 99 runs this season. With the Mumbai batters struggling for form and the pitch assisting spinners, he looks good to pick up more wickets here. 

Bowlers

• Mustafizur Rahman has been Rajasthan's lead pacer this season, with his clever variations bringing him success. He has picked up 13 wickets in 12 matches at an economy rate of 8.19. He went wicketless for the first time in four matches in the last game against Chennai and will want to bounce back.
• Jasprit Bumrah has been taking wickets consistently in the second leg, with 11 wickets in the five matches played. Overall, he has taken 17 wickets this season at an average of 21 and an economy rate of less than 7.59. He will look to continue his good form in this match.

Howzat Dream Team

• Wicketkeeper: S Samson
• Batters: Y Jaiswal, R Sharma, S Yadav, G Phillips
• All-rounders: R Tewatia, K Pandya
• Bowlers: M Rahman, M Markande, J Bumrah, J Yadav

• Captain: M Rahman/S Samson
• Vice Captain: R Sharma/K Pandya

NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play all the fantasy cricket matches from the Indian T20 League. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.

Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!