Kings XI Punjab, the most consistent team of the last season's IPL, where they ended as runners-up, are threatening to unravel fast in IPL 2015. Their most dangerous player is going through a lean patch, their most expensive and experienced bowler can't take a wicket, their openers are struggling to fashion partnerships, their success story of 2014 isn't penetrative and in the last match the team benched the middle-order lynchpin. That Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Johnson, Murali Vijay, Virender Sehwag, Axar Patel and David Miller recover their powers in quick time is crucial if Kings XI Punjab - languishing at sixth place with one win from four games - are to get their campaign back on track.On Tuesday in hot, muggy Ahmedabad they will face the most efficient team of IPL 2015 so far, table-toppers Rajasthan Royals. Last season's middle-runners appear to have everything sorted. Ajinka Rahane - the leading run-getter so far - is the anchor around whom the likes of Sanju Samson, Deepak Hooda and Karun Nair can attack. If things go wrong, they have the almost unstoppable Steven Smith at No. 3, followed by James Faulkner and Chris Morris in the lower order.Throw in Shane Watson, who returned for the last game against Chennai Super Kings and scored 73 from 47 balls as opener, and things are looking even better for Rajasthan Royals. With the ball, Pravin Tambe continues to pick wickets while South Africa's Morris has broken partnerships. Faulkner has also had a say and Dhawal Kulkarni - oddly dropped for the last game - has been successful too. An unbeaten Rajasthan Royals, particularly after the eight-wicket win over CSK, know they can beat any team, and will be looking forward to adding Kings XI Punjab to their hit-list.
Live Cricket Score of Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab, 18th Match, IPL 2015
Johnson was tidy in his third over giving away just four runs and Axar Patel provided KXIP with the first breakthrough of the match taking the wicket of Shane Watson for 45. Watson stepped down the track, but an arm ball from Axar down the leg side had Watson out of his crease and Saha did not take any time to whip the bails. The opening partnership yields 95 runs.
And it is Deepak Hooda who walks in at No.3. Rajasthan Royals are looking to accelerate. RR 99 for 1 after 12 overs.
qV4o4Yb96Ar
Sandeep Sharma started the proceedings with a tidy over giving away just six runs and had Shane Watson in trouble with a couple of in-swingers, but Anureet Singh was off radar. He began with a short ball that was crashed to the point boundary by Watson and he went on to concede eight runs off his first over.
Virender Sehwag continued with Sandeep Sharma and the Punjab pacer conceded eight runs with Rahane pouncing on to a pitched up delivery and taking a boundary, but the opener found himself in trouble when Mitchell Johnson was introduced in to the attack. Johnson got the better of Rahane in the first three balls - beaten for pace - but he was off the blocks by hitting for two boundaries. The first one was a hook towards fine leg and the second, a blazing cut shot to point boundary. RR 31 for no loss after four overs.
