HIGHLIGHTS Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 Match 13 - Result, Scorecard

Welcome back. Riyan Parag and his men stride out to the middle. The Purple Cap holder, Ravi Bishnoi, comes in as the Impact Sub for the Rajasthan Royals. Donovan Ferreira has been subbed out. Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton walk out to open the innings for Mumbai. Jofra Archer will steam in first up. Rickelton will take the first strike. Here we go!

... THE RUN CHASE ...

A stiff challenge awaits MI - The hard new ball travelled early on, but as it softened, the slower deliveries began to grip the surface. Whether RR's pacers can take a cue from the hard lengths that worked for MI remains to be seen. MI do bat deep, so this is not beyond them. Stay tuned for Mumbai's reply.

RR openers put on a show - Mumbai's quicks went in search of swing but erred repeatedly, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal made hay. The 20 balls of the Powerplay saw RR race to 59 runs as they made an early statement. Hardik Pandya led the way by hitting the deck hard and conceding just four runs in his first over before others began to follow suit. Sooryavanshi fell for a 14-ball 39, but Jaiswal batted through and delivered the final flourish, with Riyan Parag also chipping in with a handy cameo along the way.

Are you not entertained? Thrill-a-minute stuff is exactly what these shortened games provide, and the first innings of this contest had no shortage of entertainment. The Rajasthan Royals end up with a formidable total on the board after being asked to bat first.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! And that extra ball costs Shardul and MI. It is a rank full toss outside off. Yashasvi Jaiswal accepts the gift and smacks it through the cover and point gap for a boundary. 18 runs from the final over. RAJASTHAN ROYALS FINISH AT 150/3.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, WIDE! Shardul tries to keep it far from the arc, but pushes it beyond the tramline. Jaiswal is happy to leave it. Wide called. Third extra of the over.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Plays the field so nicely! Short of a good length, outside off. Yashasvi Jaiswal shuffles far across off and laps it to the right of the keeper for a boundary.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Excellent delivery! And just for a moment, Shardul goes up in appeal for caught behind, but it is not entertained. Thakur walks back to the bowling mark. Lands the yorker perfectly, around off. Yashasvi Jaiswal tries to squeeze it out to the off side, but does not get bat on ball.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, WIDE! Bangs it hard into the pitch, short and slow, over off. Jaiswal shapes up to play the ramp shot, but misses. Wide is called, but the Mumbai Indians have gone upstairs for a review. UltraEdge is being checked first, and it comes up with a flat line. The ball is clearly above the head height, says the TV umpire. Ball Tracking shows that it is a few meters above Jaiswal's head height. Hence, the on-field decision is upheld.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Clever batting! Jaiswal shuffles outside off before the ball is bowled. Shardul offers him a juicy full toss outside off. Jaiswal uses the pace and just guides it through the backward point and deep third gap for a boundary. Jaiswal takes over the Orange Cap from Sameer Rizvi. He is now at the top of the run scorers list in this IPL.

Shardul Thakur to Shimron Hetmyer, Well bowled! Wide yorker, outside off, Hetmyer fails to get under this and heaves it through mid-wicket for a single.

Shardul Thakur to Shimron Hetmyer, WIDE! Shardul pushes it across the batter, wide outside off on a fuller length. Shimron Hetmyer leaves it alone but it is called a fair delivery. He reviews the on-field call. The revised guideline comes up and it shows that the ball has clearly passed beyond the new guideline, with no part of the ball inside. So, the on-field decision is overturned.

Shardul Thakur to Shimron Hetmyer, Jaiswal was gone had the throw hit! Across off, full in length. Hetmyer walks across and throws his hands at it. The ball squirts off an inside edge towards the vacant mid-wicket region and the batters charge back for the second run. The fielder in the deep swoops in and has a shy at the bowling end but misses. Thakur could not get behind the stumps in time to collect the throw and Jaiswal managed to get home.

Time for the final over. Shardul Thakur to close out the innings. A wicket and 18 runs from Thakur's only over so far.

Jasprit Bumrah to Shimron Hetmyer, Short of a length off-cutter at 117.3 kph, angled outside leg. Hetmyer is early through his pull, fails to read the change of pace, and hits it off the toe end. The ball trickles to long on, who cuts it off to his right. One taken. Hetmyer pushes for a second but Jaiswal sends him back just in time. Bumrah goes wicketless for yet another game.

Jasprit Bumrah to Shimron Hetmyer, Deceives the southpaw through another bouncer with pace taken off. Shimron Hetmyer is months early to pull that away and misses to connect.

Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal, An attempted yorker, on off, Jaiswal carves it through the vacant mid off region for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal, SIX! PUNISHED! Misses the yorker by a few meters, does Bumrah. This is on the off stump line and Jaiswal thumps it downtown and it goes far into the stands for a six.

Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal, WIDE! This goes over the head height. A slower bouncer on off. Jaiswal tries to ramp it behind, but misses. Wide given.

Jasprit Bumrah to Shimron Hetmyer, Nails the yorker in, on off. Hetmyer squeezes it to backward point for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Shimron Hetmyer, A well-directed and deceptive slower bumper, on top of off. Shimron Hetmyer shapes up to pull, but decides to let it pass.

AM Ghazanfar to Shimron Hetmyer, Around off, on a length, at 95.5 kph. Shimron Hetmyer hangs deep in the crease and cuts it to backward point. A wicket and 12 runs from this over. 2-0-21-2 for AM Ghazanfar. Pretty decent figures given the carnage up top.

Shimron Hetmyer makes his way out to the centre. An interesting observation on air from Faf du Plessis. He reckons that as the ball has gotten older and lost its hardness, the bounce has not been as true as it was earlier.

AM Ghazanfar to Riyan Parag, OUT! CAUGHT! Ghazanfar redeems himself. Wicket number 2 for the Afghan spinner. Hardik appreciates as well. Pushed on a fuller length, on the stump line. Riyan Parag again gets on the front foot, tries to get under it to pump it behind long on. But this time, he gets no timing on the shot. Plays off the inner half and airs it to Tilak Varma, who moves a bit to his left from long on and takes the catch. Rajasthan Royals are 121/3.

AM Ghazanfar to Riyan Parag, SIX! Connects and connects well enough. Into the slot, around off, Riyan Parag clears the front leg and hammers it over long on for a big six.

AM Ghazanfar to Riyan Parag, Flat and full, on off. Riyan Parag tries to slap that past cover, but the inside edge deflects onto the keeper's pads and it rolls towards short third.

AM Ghazanfar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Slightly full, on leg, Jaiswal whips it through square leg for a single.

AM Ghazanfar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Cracking shot! Slides across off, full in length. Yashasvi Jaiswal smashes it over the bowler's head, bisecting long on and long off to perfection for a boundary.

AM Ghazanfar (1-0-9-0) is back.

Hardik Pandya to Riyan Parag, SIX! Sails just over! Misses his length and slips a full toss on the middle stump. Riyan Parag picks it up nicely and whips it aerially toward deep mid-wicket. Just for a moment, Shardul Thakur thinks he is in the game. He leaps but just cannot keep it in and lands beyond the ropes.

Hardik Pandya to Riyan Parag, Spears one just inside the tramline, outside off. Parag leaves. Good wide yorker by the MI skipper.

Hardik Pandya to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Full and on the leg, following the batter as Jaiswal backs away to make room. Yashasvi Jaiswal adjusts and whips it over mid on for a single.

Hardik Pandya to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Crunched away! FIFTY FOR JAISWAL! That's his 17th IPL fifty. He gets there in just 23 balls. Hardik slams the deck hard, outside off. Jaiswal hangs back and nails the square cut through backward point for a boundary.

Hardik Pandya to Riyan Parag, This one tails back in at the pads, on a hard length. Parag shapes to whip that over square leg, but inside edges it to short fine leg for a single.

Hardik Pandya to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Slips in a waist-high full toss, on off. Jaiswal drills it down to long off for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Very full and at pace, around off, Jaiswal carves it to the left of cover for a quick run.

Jasprit Bumrah to Riyan Parag, Bouncer at shoulder height, with pace taken off, nipping in. Parag controls the pull shot through mid-wicket for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Riyan Parag, FOUR! Smartly played! On off, on a fractionally fuller length. Parag lets the ball arrive, opens the bat face and uses the pace to run it behind. Beats the diving keeper to his right on its way to the ropes.

Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Bangs in a slower bumper, on middle. Jaiswal pulls this 116.3 kph ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal, From around the stump now. Tighter line, on off, on a good length. Jaiswal plays it very late, trying to run it through the gap between short third and the keeper. The fielder from short third dives to his right and stops it.

Jasprit Bumrah to Riyan Parag, Aims the sticks, on a hard length. Riyan Parag hangs back and stabs it to the left of mid on for a single.

AM Ghazanfar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Gloriously played! Too full and far outside off. Yashasvi Jaiswal needs no second invitation as he leans on and crashes it over extra cover for a cracking boundary.

AM Ghazanfar to Riyan Parag, Touch full, around off, Riyan drives it to long off for a single to get his first run.

In walks RR's skipper, Riyan Parag.

AM Ghazanfar to Dhruv Jurel, OUT! LBW! Ghazanfar with a big wicket now. RR lose two in a quick interval. This is pushed in front of the stumps, on a slightly fuller length. Jurel decides to play that off the back foot and tries to work it across, but plays all around it and is hit on the back pad. Up goes the finger on a confident appeal for LBW. Jurel initially starts his march back, but then decides to send it upstairs for a review. UltraEdge detects nothing as it passes close to the inside edge. Ball Tracking comes up with three reds with the ball projected to crash into the middle and leg poles. The on-field decision is upheld and Jurel takes the review with him. The Rajasthan Royals are 84/2.

AM Ghazanfar to Dhruv Jurel, Flat and quick, wide outside off, full, Dhruv Jurel rocks back to cut it square, but is beaten all ends up.

AM Ghazanfar to Dhruv Jurel, Straighter line onto the pads, on a length, Jurel tucks it between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for two runs to get off the mark.

AM Ghazanfar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, A yard behind fuller length, on middle. Jaiswal heaves it off the inner half to deep mid-wicket for a single.

AM Ghazanfar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, WIDE! Pushed down leg, full in length. Jaiswal leaves.

Shardul with the first breakthrough for his side. In walks Dhruv Jurel at number 3. AM Ghazanfar to roll his arm over now. He replaces Hardik Pandya.

Shardul Thakur to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, OUT! CAUGHT! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is distraught. Thakur keeps the line of attack near the guideline on off and he has the field for it. After being hit for a six earlier in the over, the man in the deep was brought in front of square. Sooryavanshi reaches out and he picks the bones out of it. He fails to get it wide enough and Tilak Varma is quick to move to his left at deep cover and takes the catch over his head with a small leap.

Shardul Thakur to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, SIX! Straight as an arrow! Slightly too full and bowls the slower one. The ball just slides onto the bat, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi swings through the line to tonk it towards the sight screen for a biggie.

Shardul Thakur to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Fuller in length, near the tramline in length, off-pace delivery. Jaiswal reaches out and drills it to deep point for one.

Shardul Thakur to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Nearly chopped on! A better length from Thakur, on the shorter side. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi throws his hands at it. Gets an inside edge past the leg stump and to short fine leg for one.

Shardul Thakur to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, FOUR! Shardul Thakur misses his mark again and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes him pay. Slower ball attempted by Thakur, too full, too wide. Vaibhav slams it over extra cover for a one-bounce boundary.

Shardul Thakur to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, SIX! Welcome, Shardul, says Vaibhav! A floater first up from Shardul, outside off. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets the width to free his arms, and he thumps it over extra cover for a six. Deja vu, anyone? Remember, Vaibhav's first ball six on IPL debut last year? It was the same shot, same region and the same bowler.

After all the mayhem, Hardik has bowled an absolutely fantastic over to bring some calm. Shardul Thakur has now been given the ball. He replaces Trent Boult.

Hardik Pandya to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yes, he does! An over that has its worth weight in gold in an 11-over-per-side game. Just 4 runs off it. Going across the left-hander, on a good length. Yashasvi shuffles and premeditates the scoop for the second time in the over. He fails to connect.

Hardik Pandya to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, So far, so good from Hardik! Slower one, in and around the off stump, on a good length. Vaibhav turns it in front of square on the leg side for another single. Can the MI skipper finish well?

Hardik Pandya to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Hardik hits the hard length and tucks the batter up for room. Jaiswal mistimes the pull through wide mid on for a run.

Hardik Pandya to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Outside off, on a short of a length, this is cut away to deep point for one.

The fielding restrictions have now been lifted. RR have raced away to 59/0, and these two openers have put the best of bowlers to the sword here.

Hardik Pandya to Yashasvi Jaiswal, That's the Powerplay done! Yorker aimed at the toes. Jaiswal clips it through square leg and turns the strike over.

Hardik Pandya to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Pandya bashes the hard length, across off. Yashasvi Jaiswal walks across for the scoop and after seeing the line and length of the ball, he gets his bat high to ramp it over the keeper but fails to connect.

Will Bumrah get another? He won't. Here's Hardik Pandya into the attack. Two balls left in the Powerplay.

Trent Boult to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Good stop! On a length, on off. Jaiswal firms the drive on the up and the ball skips across the turf. Hardik Pandya is swift to his left at mid off and cuts it off with a dive. Just a single. Boult goes for 22 runs off his first over.

Trent Boult to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Full and at the sticks. Sooryavanshi swings too hard at it and loses his shape. Miscues it off the inner half to long on for one.

Trent Boult to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Wide! This is sprayed well wide on off, trying to keep it away from the batter's arc. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi flashes and misses.

Trent Boult to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, SIX! The 50 is up in 2.4 overs. Carnage, absolute carnage. Boult misses his mark as he ends up being too full, on the pads. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays the pick-up shot effortlessly and parks it over long leg for a six.

Trent Boult to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Single? Boring. Full and with a bit of inward shape on the pads. Jaiswal flicks it wide of mid-wicket for a single.

Trent Boult to Yashasvi Jaiswal, SIX! And again! Boult pulls the length back but this just sits up to be hit, around the waist height, on middle. Jaiswal pivots and pulls it over mid-wicket for another six.

Trent Boult to Yashasvi Jaiswal, SIX! Trent Boult is greeted into the attack with a maximum. Boult pitches it up, too full, sliding onto the pads. Yashasvi Jaiswal makes use of the angle and deposits it over deep backward square leg for a six.

22 from the first, and then 14 from the Bumrah over. The Royals couldn't have gotten off to a better start than this. There was no swing for both Bumrah and Chahar. Now then, Trent Boult replaces Deepak Chahar.

Jasprit Bumrah to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Another full toss, on the pads. VS flicks it off the legs but can't beat the man at mid-wicket inside the circle.

Jasprit Bumrah to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, It's all happening! Bumrah goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a thigh-high full toss, on the pads. Vaibhav is beaten for pace and the ball dribbles wide of short fine leg. He wants to sneak in a leg bye but gets sent back by his partner. AM Ghazanfar has a shy at the batting end but misses. He would have been in trouble had the throw hit. The batter ends up falling over on the stumps.

Jasprit Bumrah to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, SIX! That has gone back many a mile! Back to over the wicket, pace off and into the surface, over middle. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi swivels on the back foot and dispatches the pull over square leg for a six. A wry smile on the face of Bumrah as he walks back to his mark.

Jasprit Bumrah to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Bumrah switches to around the wicket and angles it into the left-hander, Jaiswal nurdles it behind square leg for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Bumrah drags the length back and takes pace off, on middle. Vaibhav watchfully nudges it in front of mid-wicket for one.

Jasprit Bumrah to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, SIX! No sighters needed for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Bumrah floats it up, right in the slot, on middle. Sooryavanshi brings his bottom hand into play and whips it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

That was some opening over. Absolutely rollicking from Jaiswal to put RR on a flier instantly. And here's Jasprit Bumrah into the attack from the opposite end. It is Bumrah vs Sooryavanshi then.

Deepak Chahar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Cracked away! Chahar taken to the cleaners in the first over. 22 runs off it. An ideal start for the Royals. A half-volley, on off, Jaiswal gets his hands through the ball and crunches it through covers for four more.

Deepak Chahar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! A gift and Yashasvi Jaiswal accepts it gleefully. Chahar goes full in search of swing but dishes out a full toss, on off and middle. Jaiswal swings through the line and although he does not quite get hold of it, he hits it well wide of mid off to his left. The ball has enough legs to reach the fence.

Deepak Chahar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tailing back in, very full, on leg. Jaiswal wrists it neatly off the pads but picks out the fielder at mid-wicket.

Oh dear! What happened there? Jaiswal pulled out just when Chahar was about to bowl. Maybe some movement around the sightscreen put his concentration off. Chahar walks back to reload.

Deepak Chahar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! Up and over! Jaiswal has come out swinging and there is no other way to approach an 11-over game. Chahar continues to miss his mark in terms of his lengths. This is a bit too full, outside off. Yashasvi stays leg side of the ball and swings at it. Carves it to the left of the man at backward point for a four.

Deepak Chahar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, SIX! All the way! Slightly fuller, a bit of shape back into the left-hander, on middle. Jaiswal clears the front leg and heaves it over deep mid-wicket for half a dozen.

Deepak Chahar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, FOUR! BANG! Jaiswal and RR are on their way. Not the best of balls first up by Chahar. This slides across the left-hander, but the length is too short. It sits up to be hit and Jaiswal mows it through mid-wicket for a four.

Finally, we are all set for the game to commence in Guwahati. It's been a looooong wait, and the patience has paid off. What's better than seeing some cricket being played, aye? The two umpires are out in the middle. Hardik Pandya has his men in the huddle before the MI players spread out. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the two openers for Rajasthan Royals. Deepak Chahar has the new ball in hand and will get us underway. Jaiswal to take the strike, with a slip in place. Here we go!

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa informs that this is a black-soil pitch, with the earlier game at the venue having been played on a red-soil strip. Michael Clarke joins him, and he adds that the ground staff deserve a lot of credit for getting the ground ready. Clarke notes that the surface feels a bit cold after being under covers, but doesn’t believe there is any moisture in it. He further says that the wicket looks quite good for batting, though it could play a little slower than what was seen in the previous game.

Impact subs nominated by MI - Sherfane Rutherford, Corbin Bosch, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa and Ashwani Kumar.

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI) - Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Naman Dhir, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Trent Boult (In for Corbin Bosch) and Jasprit Bumrah.

Impact subs nominated by RR - Ravi Singh, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi and Shubham Dubey.

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI) - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma.

The captain of the Rajasthan Royals - Riyan Parag says he would have bowled first as well, noting that there is a little bit of moisture around, though he doesn't expect it to play a big role in an 11-over game. Parag mentions that he is very pleased with how the team has performed in the first couple of games and is happy with the way the players handled pressure in the previous match. Riyan ends by informing that they are unchanged for this game.

The skipper of the Mumbai Indians - Hardik Pandya says that the pitch has been under the covers for a long time. Details that in rain-affected games like this, it is always a good option to bowl first, as it gives an idea of how the pitch will play and what the score will be. On losing the previous match, Hardik says it is just the start of the season, and you don't win the IPL in the first few days. Shares that they have spoken in detail about what needs to be done. On the changes, he mentions that he himself is back in the XI, and Trent Boult also makes his way into the side.

TOSS - We are all set for the coin to go up. Hardik Pandya is back for MI. Riyan Parag is beside him. Pandya calls it correctly. Mumbai Indians elect to BOWL first.

9.39 pm IST (4.09 pm GMT) - Right then, we have a start time. It will be an 11-over-per-side contest with the first ball to be bowled at 10.10 pm IST (4.40 pm GMT). The toss will take place at 9.55 pm IST (4.25 pm GMT). The Powerplay will last 3.2 overs. 1 bowler can bowl a maximum of 3 overs. 4 bowlers can bowl a maximum of 2 overs each.

9.31 pm IST (4.01 pm GMT) - Promising signs! The ground staff are in the process of removing the covers, and players from both teams are out on the field for their warm-up drills. Anil Kumble reckons the ground staff will need around 20 more minutes to get the ground ready for play. The strip has been uncovered, and RR's head coach, Kumar Sangakkara, is the first one to have a look at the 22 yards.

9.10 pm IST (3.40 pm GMT) - Good news! It looks like the rain has stopped. There was some movement on the field with the head ground staff taking a closer look at the situation, with no umbrella in hand. That brought about a loud cheer from the crowd as well. The groundsmen are beginning to take the covers off. Hope the rain doesn't return. Fingers crossed. Stay tuned for further updates.

9.01 pm IST (3.31 pm GMT) - We are well within the territory where overs have started to trim down now, and unfortunately, we don't have any positive updates. It continues to rain, but that hasn't dampened the spirits of the fans present in the stands, who still believe that things will improve soon. We are also hearing that 10.56 pm IST (5.26 pm GMT) is the cut-off time for a 5-over per side contest. For that, we have plenty of time left. But let's hope we get more cricket than that.

8.34 pm IST (3.04 pm GMT) - The official word is here, folks. It is now confirmed that we will start to lose overs from 8.40 pm IST (3.10 pm GMT). That is, in just about 5 minutes or so from now. And since it is still raining in Guwahati, it is now a certainty that if and when the game starts, it will be a truncated one. For now, there is no activity on the ground, and the wait continues for the rain to stop.

8.23 pm IST (2.53 pm GMT) - The fourth umpire has made his way out, and there are no umbrellas in sight in the visuals. He is in conversation with a few members of the ground staff. While the intensity of the rain has reduced, it hasn’t completely stopped just yet, so the covers remain in place for now.

8.08 pm IST (2.38 pm GMT) - Nothing pleasing to report as it continues to drizzle in Guwahati. We are hearing that there was a bit of lightning as well, and the drizzle is still steady. Also, when the rain had momentarily stopped, the live visuals did show a lot of puddles on the outfield, which will surely take quite some time to dry up. But for that, the rain needs to stop completely. Let's hope for the best.

You have got to feel for the fans - Guwahati is the alternate home venue for the Rajasthan Royals, where they are scheduled to play three games this season. This is the second fixture at this venue, with one more to come later in the week on Friday, April 10, against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Let's hope we get at least some action tonight and the fans don't miss out entirely.

7.43 pm IST (2.13 pm GMT) - Uh, oh, the rain is back. It is only a drizzle, but enough to halt the process of the removal of the covers. The overs will begin to be reduced once the one-hour buffer time elapses. The radar suggests the rain could linger for about another hour before clearing for good. Stick around for more news.

7.20 pm IST (1.50 pm GMT) - It has stopped raining, and the ground staff have sprung into action. Unlike what we saw at Eden Gardens on Monday, the entire ground here in Guwahati was not covered. The exposed areas have taken a beating, with puddles visible, and those will pose a challenge for the groundsmen. Riyan Parag is out in the middle along with a couple of members of the coaching staff. The Super Sopper is at work, and let's hope that there is no more rain so that the mop-up work can be completed without any interruption.

Words from the RR camp - Nandre Burger says he is feeling really good with the way the ball is coming out of his hand, though he is still searching for the desired rhythm. He adds that the harder one searches for it, the harder it becomes to find, and believes the best approach is to keep going without overthinking. Burger mentions that Jofra Archer is a pretty straightforward character and that together they look to quickly assess the conditions and share insights on the optimal lengths to bowl on a particular track.

7.05 pm IST (1.35 pm GMT) - The live visuals show that the rain is very heavy and, more concerningly, it's a pretty steady downpour. RR captain Riyan Parag was out on the sidelines and was also seen having a chat with a member of the ground staff a little earlier. The camera pans to the RR dressing room, where the players are relaxed and waiting for the rain to stop.

Who do we have for a quick chat? MI's Tilak Varma, it is. Tilak shares his enthusiasm for the current IPL season, noting that while he has already tasted victory with the Indian national team in the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup, his primary goal now is to help MI secure a record sixth title. On batting at different positions, he says he focuses on what the team needs at any given moment, planning his innings based on the situation and the bowlers, and going with the flow from there. On team performance so far, he highlights that the last game was not great for MI, and admits that they did not bat well, but says the team is in a good mindset and good shape overall. He is hopeful they can do great things this season.

6.48 pm IST (1.18 pm GMT) - The official word is in. The flip of the coin has been delayed. The rain continues to fall steadily, but don't lose hope. The forecast suggests conditions should begin to clear in about an hour, but for now, it is a waiting game.

Master vs prodigy - Every Rajasthan Royals game brings with it the excitement of watching Vaibhav Sooryavanshi do his thing. And when Jasprit Bumrah takes the field, you are witnessing greatness in motion. When youth meets experience, it makes for box-office viewing. The rain threatens to delay that show, but let's hope for the best.

Powerplay could decide it all - Since the 2022 IPL, the Rajasthan Royals have scored the most runs in the first six overs. The Mumbai Indians aren't far behind either, sitting third on that list and boasting plenty of firepower in the same phase. It's not just with the bat where these two sides stack up closely. On the bowling front as well, both teams have been among the most effective in the powerplay. RR have picked up the second-most wickets in this phase since 2022, while MI are again close behind in third.

Greetings, all! It was a damp squib to start the week in Kolkata, and unfortunately, the story is no different in Guwahati, where the Rajasthan Royals are scheduled to take on the Mumbai Indians. What began as a bright, sunny day turned gloomy, with spells of rain through the afternoon. At the moment, it is raining, and given the amount of rain the city has already received today, we won't be having any action anytime soon.

... MATCH DAY ...

A clash of firepower and form - Match 13 of IPL 2026 brings an exciting face-off as Rajasthan Royals take on Mumbai Indians at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Two sides packed with match-winners, but arriving with contrasting momentum - RR riding high on back-to-back wins, while MI have shown flashes of brilliance but are still searching for consistency. With explosive batting line-ups, quality bowling attacks, and a history of closely fought encounters, this promises to be a high-octane contest where small moments could make all the difference. Royals riding the momentum - Rajasthan Royals arrive in Guwahati with confidence and clarity, having stitched together two wins in contrasting fashion. Their campaign has been defined by strong starts and calm finishes, from a dominant display against CSK to a nervy, well-executed defence against GT. The leadership of Riyan Parag has stood out, showing maturity beyond his years, while his all-round value continues to be central to RR's balance. Add to that the experience and impact of Ravindra Jadeja, and this is a side that knows how to control key moments in a game. RR's opening blitz - The explosive duo of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a revelation, providing flying starts in both games in the Powerplay - 74 in the first and 69 in the second. Vaibhav, in particular, lit up the tournament with a stunning 17-ball 52 against CSK and is striking at a staggering 237.1 so far. Jaiswal followed it up with a classy half-century in the next outing, ensuring RR continue to dominate the Powerplay phase. These starts have laid the perfect platform for the middle order to build on. Middle order yet to fully click - Despite the strong starts, RR still have another gear to unlock. Dhruv Jurel has already shown his range with a career-best IPL knock, but the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Parag himself are yet to truly fire with the bat. With Donovan Ferreira and Jadeja adding muscle down the order, RR possess serious finishing power and if this unit clicks collectively, they could become one of the most dangerous batting line-ups in the tournament. Bowling that delivers under pressure - While Archer and Deshpande grabbed headlines for their ice-cold execution at the death against GT, defending 14 runs in the last two overs, the real game-changer was Ravi Bishnoi, whose 4/41 turned the match on its head. Nandre Burger has quietly been their most consistent pacer, while Sandeep Sharma will be keen to step up and add more control with the new ball. This attack has variety, and more importantly, the ability to deliver in crunch moments. MI's explosive yet unpredictable batting - Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, have already shown just how dangerous they can be. Their chase of 221 against KKR was powered by a massive 148-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton, taking the game away in the Powerplay itself. Rohit has led from the front with 113 runs in two games, while the biggest positive from their loss to DC was Suryakumar Yadav returning to form with a gritty fifty. Naman Dhir's cameos have added depth, but Tilak Varma's two failures remain a concern in an otherwise strong batting unit. Key returns and tactical calls - The expected return of Hardik Pandya is a huge boost, restoring balance with both bat and ball. MI might also rethink their bowling combination after the Corbin Bosch experiment didn't quite work, with Trent Boult likely to come back into the XI to strengthen both the Powerplay and death overs. Sherfane Rutherford adds another layer of explosiveness, while Mitchell Santner's all-round utility brings control in the middle overs. Bowling - strengths and concerns - Deepak Chahar impressed with the new ball in the last game, but Shardul Thakur couldn't replicate his earlier impact against KKR. Jasprit Bumrah has been typically economical, but interestingly remains wicketless so far as teams have preferred to play him out. MI's bowling, while experienced, hasn't quite clicked as a unit, something they'll need to address against an in-form RR batting line-up. A rivalry that's neck and neck - There's very little to separate these two sides historically. Mumbai Indians hold a slight edge in the head-to-head at 16-14, but the recent contests tell a different story, with the last six meetings evenly split at 3-3. It underlines just how competitive this rivalry has been, often swinging on small moments and individual brilliance. Team form (Last 5 completed games, recent first) - RR - WWWLL | MI - LWLWL. Conditions and What to Expect - The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati is known for its batting-friendly surface, with high scores and chasing sides often enjoying the advantage due to dew. With two explosive batting units and quality finishers on both sides, this game could once again be decided by Powerplay dominance and death-over execution, setting the stage for a high-scoring thriller.