IPL 2022: Predicting the 3 highest wicket-takers in the RR v DC match

Match 57 of IPL 2022 pits the Rajasthan Royals (RR) up against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. While RR are placed third in the IPL points table 2022 with 14 points from 11 games, DC are placed fifth with 10 points from the same number of matches.

It was absolute pandemonium the first time these two sides met this season. Riding on a Jos Buttler ton, RR piled up 222/2 before Rovman Powell threatened to pull off the unthinkable for DC. Needing 36 off the final over, Powell clubbed Obed McCoy for three sixes before a contentious no-ball decision went against the Capitals.

DC's assistant coach Pravin Amre walked onto the field to have a word with the umpires, leading to a one-match suspension for him. McCoy eventually held his nerve to take RR home by 15 runs.

If that contest is anything to go by, we should be in for another thriller tonight with both IPL teams needing a win to boost their playoff chances. That said, with teams batting first winning most games in recent times, the bowlers should have a massive say in how the end result pans out.

On that note, we try to predict the three highest wicket-takers in tonight's IPL 2022 clash.

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#1 Yuzvendra Chahal - leading wicket-taker in IPL 2022

With 22 wickets from 11 matches, Yuzvendra Chahal has bowled like a dream throughout IPL 2022. The leading wicket-taker this season, he bowled as well as he ever has, winning many a contest for the Royals with his guile and smarts.

In tandem with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Chahal has formed the most potent spin combination in IPL 2022. With the pitches tiring out as well, his threat is only set to increase as the games keep coming.

DC boast a number of pace hitters within their ranks, but on a slowish surface in Navi Mumbai, Chahal could come up trumps. Rishabh Pant has adopted a high-risk approach against spin in recent times, while Rovman Powell and Mitchell Marsh have had their struggles against that style of bowling.

With this in context, expect Yuzvendra Chahal to lead RR's charge again tonight.

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#2 Anrich Nortje - DC's X-factor

DC have had to sweat over Anrich Nortje's fitness for a good part of their IPL 2022 campaign. His return to the playing XI, though, has added new wings to their bowling unit. Nortje also gave a good account of himself against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), forcing the issue through the middle overs while executing his yorkers to perfection at the back end.

With wickets and confidence under his belt, Nortje will be chomping at the bit to leave his mark in whatever remains of the league phase. His speeds have been right up there too, meaning that RR's batting unit sans Shimron Hetmyer will have an uphill task tonight.

A mouth-watering prospect lies ahead with Nortje going up against the unstoppable Jos Buttler. Given how he's been used across different phases by Rishabh Pant, one would expect the South African bolter to find himself among the wickets tonight.

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#3 Trent Boult - RR's new-ball trump card

After a solid start to his IPL 2022 season with seven wickets from the first four games, Trent Boult has tapered off rather surprisingly. A niggle kept him out of the game against the Gujarat Titans (GT) but since his return, Boult has managed a mere two wickets in his next six games while also bleeding quite a few runs.

That said, a bowler of Boult's class can't be kept quiet for too long and is bound to turn a new corner soon enough. That could come about tonight against DC, as RR's new-ball weapon faces up against a certain David Warner.

Recent games at the DY Patil Stadium have given enough evidence of swing with the new ball. That should put Boult in the mix tonight and when it rains, it absolutely pours wickets for him. Don't be surprised then, should he roar back to form with a cluster of wickets tonight.