5 matches that could spice up the fourth week of IPL 2022

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 has now entered its fourth week. A glance at the IPL points table following Tuesday’s match between the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) shows that the Gujarat Titans (GT) are still at the top, with 10 points from six matches. Bangalore have also garnered the same number of points, but are below Gujarat on the net run rate scenario.

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) are in the top three, having tasted wins in four of their six matches. They are followed by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who also have eight points each to their name. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) continue to remain at the bottom. While CSK have one win from six games, MI have none.

The third week of IPL 2022 saw only one close game as GT beat CSK by three wickets in a chase of 170 courtesy David Miller’s stunning 94* off 51. Fans and organizers will be hoping for more thrilling encounters in the fourth week of IPL 2022. Here’s look at five matches that can spice up Week 4.

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#1 DC vs PBKS (Match 32, April 20 at Brabourne Stadium)

Both the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) have had an erratic IPL 2022 campaign so far. While DC have registered two wins and three losses from five games, PBKS have three wins and an equal number of losses after six matches. Both IPL teams go in having lost their respective previous games. At the same time, it is true that the two sides have immense potential in their ranks, especially in batting. If Delhi have the explosive opening duo of Prithvi Shaw and David Warner, Punjab have the destructive Liam Livingstone. There will also be curiosity over how DC will perform following the COVID-19 positive cases that have hit their preparations.

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#2 MI vs CSK (Match 33, April 21 at DY Patil Stadium)

MI vs CSK battles have achieved legendary status in the history of the IPL. After all, we are talking about the two most successful franchises in the T20 league. However, when the two sides meet for the first time in IPL 2022, the excitement will be of a different nature. Unlike previous years, neither franchise is looking strong enough to give the other teams a run. Mumbai have traditionally been slow starters, but this season a recovery seems next to impossible as they just do not have the players. Chennai’s story is similar as they too are struggling for relevance. Considering the intense rivalry between MI and CSK, both teams will be keen to make an impact in the clash that is every year dubbed as IPL’s ‘El Clasico’.

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#3 KKR vs GT (Match 35, April 23 at DY Patil Stadium)

Gujarat have been in brilliant form in IPL 2022. If there were concerns that they were heavily dependent on skipper Hardik Pandya, those doubts were convincingly brushed aside following their win over CSK. Minus their captain, GT came from behind to stun Chennai. Chasing 170, CSK were on top, having reduced the opponents to 87 for 5 before Miller (94*) and stand-in skipper Rashid Khan (40 off 21) launched a stunning counter-attack. Gujarat will go into the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on a high. Speaking of KKR, they have a point to prove, having lost three games in a row. They were doing a brilliant job in a chase of 218 against Rajasthan, until some brain-fade moments from the batters cost them. Kolkata would know they are a much better team.

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#4 RCB vs SRH (Match 36, April 23 at Brabourne Stadium)

Apart from GT, Bangalore and Hyderabad have also had impressive IPL 2022 campaigns so far. RCB have won four out of their last five matches while SRH are on a four-match winning streak after losing their first two games. Both sides will thus be high on confidence when they clash at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai over the weekend. In their last match, Bangalore thumped a strong Lucknow outfit by 18 runs. Hyderabad will go into their latest clash having defeated Punjab by seven wickets. There will be plenty of absorbing match-ups to look forward to when RCB face SRH. The raw pace of Umran Malik could be challenged by Dinesh Karthik’s cheekiness. Josh Hazlewood’s unerring bowling will come up against an in-form SRH batting line-up.

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#5 LSG vs MI (Match 37, April 24 at Wankhede Stadium)

The last time Lucknow met Mumbai in IPL 2022, KL Rahul hammered a hundred in his 100th IPL match and led his side to an 18-run victory. MI’s bowling did not have any answer to Rahul’s brilliance on the day. Their batting, however, did show some resolve to take the team close before eventually falling well short. Mumbai will be desperate to make some kind of an impression when the teams meet again. Although their bowling lacks sting, they have the batting to make an impact. On the day of the match, Sachin Tendulkar will be celebrating his 49th birthday. A victory can be the perfect gift MI can offer to the team’s mentor.

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