Unbeaten Rajasthan Royals host RCB in Guwahati with both sides chasing perfect records
Two teams sitting pretty at the top of the IPL 2026 standings meet at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Friday evening, with Rajasthan Royals unbeaten in three and Royal Challengers Bengaluru spotless after two.
Royals have been ruthless
Rajasthan's opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been the most destructive partnership in the tournament. Jaiswal leads the Orange Cap standings with 170 runs from three innings at a strike rate above 163, while Sooryavanshi has blitzed 122 runs at a strike rate of 249. Their latest demolition came against Mumbai Indians in a rain-shortened match on April 7, when Jaiswal smashed an unbeaten 77 off 32 balls as the Royals posted 150 for 3 in 11 overs before their bowlers restricted MI to 123 for 9.
Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer and Ravindra Jadeja add depth to the middle order, and Jofra Archer spearheads a varied bowling attack that includes Ravi Bishnoi, the tournament's leading wicket-taker with seven scalps so far.
RCB have hit the ground running
RCB have won both their matches, including a 43-run hammering of Chennai Super Kings on April 5 when Tim David blitzed 70 off 25 balls to help post 250 for 3, the highest team total of IPL 2026. Virat Kohli opened with a fifty in the tournament opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Devdutt Padikkal has compiled 111 runs across two innings to anchor the top order.
Jacob Duffy has been one of the finds of the tournament with the ball, claiming five wickets from two games, though RCB could welcome Josh Hazlewood back into the XI after the Australian missed the opening matches with a hamstring strain.
What to expect tonight
The Barsapara pitch has historically been good for batting, though fast bowlers can find movement with the new ball. Rain could play a part, with showers forecast and humidity levels expected to be high in Guwahati.
RCB lead the all-time head-to-head 17-14, but Rajasthan's current form and a vocal home crowd make them slight favourites. One perfect record ends tonight.
Cricket Updates
