The Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals will play in the IPL 2022 final on Sunday, May 29. Gujarat were the first team to qualify for the championship match after defeating Rajasthan by 7 wickets in Qualifier 1. On the other hand, Rajasthan defeated Bangalore by 7 wickets in the Qualifier 2 encounter on Friday (May 27) after losing to Gujarat. Both teams were considered favourites prior to the playoffs, and they have deservedly advanced to the championship game. The 2022 IPL championship match preview is discussed in this article.
2022 IPL Final Preview: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans both had outstanding outings in the league stage of the IPL 2022. Gujarat took top place in the points standings with 20 points, followed by Rajasthan with 18 points. Both teams have genuine match-winners in their squads, and several of their players are in excellent form. Therefore, other teams in the competition had a difficult time confronting them this season.
The Gujarat Titans hold the upper hand against the Rajasthan Royals in a head-to-head battle. The Titans have defeated the Royals on two occasions this season. Rajasthan Royals will definitely seek revenge by defeating them in the IPL 2022 final.
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Gujarat Titans
Unlike the Rajasthan Royals, the Gujarat Titans haven't relied solely on a few key players. They have a number of match-winners this season who have consistently performed for their team. One of their key players is Hardik Pandya. He is leading from the front, displaying his all-round ability throughout the competition. Pandya has 453 runs and 10 wickets for the team. He is a serious contender for the player of the series award if Gujarat win the IPL 2022.
Among others, Mohammad Shami, Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, David Miller, Shubman Gill, and Wriddhiman Saha all contributed to the Gujarat Titans' reaching the final. After defeating Rajasthan twice this season, Gujarat will be considered favorites to beat them in the final match.
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade;
Middle-Order: Hardik Pandya (C), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore;
Lower-Order: Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami
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Rajasthan Royals
Jos Buttler has been in excellent form in this season's IPL, smashing records with a devastating batting effort. Buttler is undeniably the main factor behind Rajasthan's season-long success. Rajasthan overcame Bangalore by 7 wickets in Qualifier 2 and qualified for the final thanks to Buttler's swashbuckling performance. He equaled Virat Kohli's record with his fourth century of the season against Bangalore. He will be crucial for Rajasthan in the final game.
However, Buttler can't do it all by himself, and he will need help from others. Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, and the rest of the playing XI will have to play their roles properly in this match. It will take a team effort for Rajasthan to beat Gujarat in the IPL 2022 final.
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (C & WK);
Middle-Order: Devdutt Padikkal, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult;
Lower-Order: Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, Obed McCoy.
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IPL 2022 Final Match Time (GT vs RR)
The championship match will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, (May 29). The game will begin at 8.30 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Verdict
The Gujarat Titans' team spirit is presently at an all-time high because of their consistency throughout the tournament. They may be the more confident team prior to the IPL 2022 final on Sunday. Oppositely, the Rajasthan Royals will play the championship match with confidence after a comfortable victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their previous encounter. However, there should be no favourites in the final since anyone can win the competition if they play to their full potential on that particular day.
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