Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians: A Clash of Titans in IPL 2026
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their third match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday, 7th April. The Rajasthan Royals have started their new IPL season with a strong performance, securing two consecutive wins. They aim to extend this winning streak by achieving their third straight victory. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians are eager to recover from their recent defeat against the Delhi Capitals.
Rajasthan Royals’ Strong Start
The Rajasthan Royals have made a remarkable start to their IPL 2026 campaign, winning their first two matches with impressive margins. In their opening game, they defeated the Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets, showcasing their batting prowess. Their second match saw them beat the Gujarat Titans at home by 6 runs in an exciting contest. Against CSK, RR batted first and scored 210 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel played exceptionally well, scoring half-centuries each. In response, the Gujarat Titans struggled to reach 204 runs, thanks to the disciplined bowling from RR’s bowlers. Ravi Bishnoi took 4 wickets for 41 runs, while Tushar Deshpande saved RR in the final over by defending 11 runs. Jofra Archer also contributed with a tight spell, conceding just 4 runs in the 19th over. RR currently hold the second position with four points.
Mumbai Indians’ Struggles
Despite starting their IPL 2026 campaign with a win, the Mumbai Indians faced challenges in their second match, losing to the Delhi Capitals at Arun Jaitley Stadium under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership. Hardik Pandya was absent due to illness. While batting first, MI’s batters struggled to score consistently. Rohit Sharma managed to score 35 runs, and Suryakumar Yadav hit a fine half-century. MI posted a total of 162 for 6 in their innings. The Delhi Capitals lost two wickets early but were saved by Sameer Rizvi, who scored 90 off 51 deliveries, sealing the match in 18.1 overs. Pathum Nissanka also contributed with 44 off 30 deliveries.
Match Details
- Match: RR vs MI 13th T20 IPL Match
- Date and Time: Tuesday, April 7th; 7:30 p.m. IST
- Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
- Broadcasting and Live Streaming: TV – Star Sports Network, Live Stream – JioHotstar
Pitch Report
The pitch at Guwahati is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. Fast bowlers can extract movement and bounce early on, while batters will find it easier to play during the middle overs. Spinners may have an impact in the later stages. The average first innings total is likely to be around 165-175.
Weather Report
The weather is expected to be humid and partly cloudy, with a 55% chance of rain during the game. The evening match might bring a cold breeze, which could assist pace bowlers. There is a 33% probability of thunderstorms, which might cause delays. Temperatures are expected to range between 33-29 °C.
Head-to-Head Records
In T20s:
– Matches Played: 32
– Won by Rajasthan Royals: 15
– Won by Mumbai Indians: 17
– Tied: 0
– No Result: 0
Probable XI
Rajasthan Royals:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Nandre Burger
(Impact Players: Shubham Dubey, Donovan Ferreira, Aman Rao, Ravi Singh)
Mumbai Indians:
Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur
(Impact Players: Ashwani Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz)
Players to Watch Out For
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | RR
This 15-year-old prodigy has shown great potential in the first two matches of IPL 2026. He smashed the third fastest half-century in the opening match and scored 31 off 18 deliveries in the next match. He is a player to watch out for in this game.
Yashasvi Jaiswal | RR
This left-handed opener has been in excellent form, consistently scoring runs with aggressive hitting. He provided a good start in the power play and will look to continue his performance in this match.
Rohit Sharma | MI
The former MI skipper has been in good form, scoring 78 runs off 38 deliveries in the season opener and 35 runs off 26 deliveries in the next match. He is currently the leading run-scorer for MI.
Suryakumar Yadav | MI
This player has the ability to deliver a good knock anytime. He bounced back from a poor start to score 51 runs in the next match. With 4378 runs in 168 IPL matches, he is a key player to watch.
Toss Prediction
Historically, teams that have won the toss at this venue have opted to bowl. Teams that bat first have won 10 out of 20 matches played here. However, the recent trend suggests that teams should bowl first after winning the toss to maximize benefits.
Match Scenario
Scenario 1
– Toss Winner: MI (opts to bowl first)
– Power-Play Score: 45-55
– RR Total: 180-190
– Match Winner: Mumbai Indians
Scenario 2
– Toss Winner: RR (opts to bowl first)
– Power-Play Score: 42-48
– MI Total: 175-210
– Match Winner: Rajasthan Royals
Who Will Win Today’s Match?
The Rajasthan Royals have started their IPL 2026 campaign strongly, winning their first two matches with significant margins. Their batting lineup is stable, and their bowling has been sharp. On the other hand, the Mumbai Indians have had a decent start but were vulnerable in their previous match. Considering their past head-to-head records, the Mumbai Indians have the upper hand, but the Rajasthan Royals can surprise their opponents with their current form. We predict the Mumbai Indians to win this match.
