Rajasthan Lions vs Dubai Royals: Morgan's Lions Seek First Win as Dhawan's Royals Look to Build Momentum - 6th T20

Rajasthan Lions meet Dubai Royals in the sixth match of the World Legends Pro T20 League at the 1919 Sportz Stadium in Verna, Goa. The afternoon encounter begins at 2:30 PM IST on Thursday, January 29.

Tournament Update: Dubai Royals found their winning formula yesterday, edging past Gurugram Thunders by just 3 runs in a nail-biting thriller. Samit Patel was the hero with an unbeaten 65 off 32 balls, while Ambati Rayudu added 45 off 27 as Royals posted 200/5 – the first 200+ total of the tournament. Cheteshwar Pujara nearly pulled off an incredible chase with 99 off 60 balls and Thisara Perera's explosive 56 off 27, but Piyush Chawla's nerveless final over (3/35 in 4 overs) sealed victory. Rajasthan Lions lost a close match to Maharashtra Tycoons by 8 runs. Chris Gayle's 45 off 29 and Stuart Binny's 34 off 18 powered Tycoons to 192/6, but Lions fell short at 184/8 despite Ben Cutting's efforts.


Weather & Pitch: Afternoon temperatures will be around 32°C with possible cloud cover. The Verna pitch favors batsmen with extra bounce for fast bowlers. Recent matches have seen high scores, making early wickets crucial.

Probable Teams:
Rajasthan Lions: Captain Eoin Morgan has 2,458 T20I runs with 14 half-centuries. He needs support from Suresh Raina (1,605 T20I runs, first Indian to score a T20 World Cup century), JP Duminy, and power-hitter Ben Cutting. Spinners Bipul Sharma and Shadab Jakati with pacers Abhimanyu Mithun and Anureet Singh complete the attack.

Dubai Royals: Captain Shikhar Dhawan has scored 1,759 T20I runs at 27.92 average. He'll rely on in-form Samit Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Yusuf Pathan (236 T20I runs at 134.02 strike rate, 2007 T20 and 2011 World Cup winner), and Peter Trego. Match-winner Piyush Chawla will be key with the ball.

Players to Watch: Patel's 65 off 32 and Chawla's 3/35 were match-winning for Royals. Pujara's 99 off 60 nearly stole victory for Thunders. Watch for Morgan and Dhawan's leadership, Raina's aggressive play, and the in-form Patel and Rayudu in this crucial encounter.