With just two wins from seven games, the Royals, languishing at eighth on the table, come into the contest on the back of a gut-wrenching Super Over defeat to Delhi Capitals.
Former champions Rajasthan Royals (RR), who suffered a heart-wrenching 11-run defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday, are virtually eliminated from the playoff contention in IPL 2025.
Delhi Capitals looked like a well-oiled machine with four wins in a row before a stunning batting meltdown against Mumbai Indians halted their momentum.
New Zealand batting great Kane Williamson praised Nitish Rana's match-winning 36-ball 81 against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Vijayakanth, who has played one T20I for Sri Lanka, is a like-for-like replacement for leg-spinner Hasaranga.
Here are how the bowlers fared in Guwahati...
The common theme in their opening game defeats was how the seemingly powerful batting and bowling units of KKR and RR failed to fire.
The common theme in those defeats was how the seemingly powerful batting and bowling units of KKR and RR failed to fire.
The Royals batting looks decent but there is the issue of consistency and lack of depth that could be telling as the tournament wears on.
In a league defined by change, Sanju Samson's steadfast presence offers a sense of stability and a genuine chance for the Royals to finally reclaim their long-awaited title
Chennai Super Kings might feel more 'at home' against an equally clueless Rajasthan Royals on a slow turner expected to be on offer in their next IPL game in Guwahati.
His knock -- 67 off 45 balls with 3 fours and 5 sixes -- was a cocktail of composure and controlled aggression. It was also his 10th IPL half-century, a milestone that arrived just when the spotlight had begun to shift off him.
This is Sri Lanka's biggest victory over Australia in ODIs in terms of runs.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday
IMAGES from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday
Mathews made his T20 comeback for Sri Lanka in January after a three-year gap.
It remains to be seen if the right-arm spinner will be available for SRH's home fixture against Chennai Super Kings on April 5.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, became the youngest ever centurion in the IPL to propel Rajasthan Royals to an emphatic eight-wicket victory against Gujarat Titans.
Images from the IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur on Saturday
Josh Hazlewood scalped four wickets in a brilliant spell as Royal Challengers Bengaluru staged a stunning comeback to edge Rajasthan Royals by 11 runs.
The all-star team announced by the ICC features four players from Sri Lanka, three each from Pakistan and Afghanistan and one from the West Indies.
The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to see bowlers playing a crucial role in the success of teams.
Sri Lanka on Friday suffered a major setback as four of their cricketers, including pacer Dushamantha Chameera and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, were rendered doubtful for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka are on the brink of an early exit from the T20 World Cup after heavy rain washed out their Group D match against Nepal
Arshdeep Singh starred as India ended their wait for a major ICC trophy win with victory in the T20 World Cup last year.
Sri Lanka have called up leg-spinning all-rounder Dushan Hemantha, while Chamika Karunaratne will be the travelling reserve player.
Wanindu Hasaranga will make his comeback after missing the Asia Cup and the 50-overs World Cup.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff's first Most Valuable Player Index for IPL 2025.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI against Pakistan on Sunday?
Hasaranga's bowling figures are the second-best by a Sri Lanka bowler with Chaminda Vaas's 8/19, against the same opposition 23 years ago, the best in men's ODI history.
Lockie Ferguson became the sixth New Zealander to take a T20 hat-trick as the visitors edged Sri Lanka by four wickets in a low scoring match in Dambulla.
Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga lambasted the scheduling of their team's matches in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Stonis overtakes Nabi to become top-ranked T20 all rounder
Dasun Shanaka produced a solid all-round performance, which included bowling figures of 4 for 23, as former champions Sri Lanka overcame some jittery moments to down Ireland by 41 runs in their T20 World Cup warm-up game in Lauderhill (USA) on Friday.
'Vaibhav just came to our trials and we were really happy with what he saw.'
SL executed their plans well against the Indian batters, who are not the cleverest performers on rank turners, while not many are though.
India's young batter Yashaswi Jaiswal was placed sixth with 714 points.
Sri Lanka are building a robust all-round Twenty20 side with a rich blend of youngsters and experienced players as they dream of winning the 2026 World Cup on home soil, former white-ball captain Dasun Shanaka has said.
The big-hitting Suryakumar Yadav is the highest placed Indian at second spot, while young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal occupies the sixth position in the ICC T20I batting rankings issued on Wednesday.
IMAGES from the second T20 played between Sri Lanka and India in Pallekele on Sunday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances