What Rising Pune Supergiants and Kings XI Punjab will play their final match of VIVO IPL 2016 when they come up against each other in Match 53. Despite playing some good cricket at various points of time, the season hasn’t quite panned out the way RPS and KXIP would have liked. Injuries and loss of form to key players hasn’t helped their cause. RPS are currently 7th placed in the 8-team table, just above Kings XI Punjab, but only by virtue of a better Net Run Rate. Both teams have just as many wins and defeats – 4 and 9 respectively, and a defeat in this match will certainly mean wooden spoon for the losers. When

21 May 2016, 1600 Hrs IST Where

ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam Weather

Temperature: Max 38°c, Min 34°c Humidity: Max 69% Wind: 15kmph The Protagonists Ajinkya Rahane has clearly been RPS’ best batsmen – and not only because of his season aggregate of 461 runs; the 27-year old has looked assured at the crease and has looked in control of proceedings whenever he has scored runs. Among the bowlers, Ashok Dinda has been impressive, picking up 10 wickets in eight matches – which includes two Man of the Match award winning performances. RPS’ overseas signing Adam Zampa was not given his maiden IPL outing until the team had played nine matches. But once he got his chance, the Australia has impressed with his control, his ability to flight the ball and pick wickets regularly; the leg-spinner is RPS’ highest wicket-taker with a tally of 11 wickets. For Kings XI Punjab, the two men at the top – Murali Vijay and Hashim Amla – are the key players in the team’s batting plans. A prolific run-getter in international cricket, this is Hashim Amla’s first taste of the IPL; since joining KXIP as a replacement player, he has played one brilliant innings – 96 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, but has had an otherwise ordinary run. He will want to sign off with a big score. Among the bowlers, the eight overs bowled by Sandeep Sharma and Mohit Sharma, and how much damage they cause, will have a significant bearing on the outcome of the match. Head to Head

When RPS and KXIP met in Mohali in week two of VIVO IPL 2016, the hosts prevailed. KXIP restricted RPS to 152-7 and then chased down the runs in the 19th over to win by 7 wickets. Mohit Sharma starred with the ball for KXIP, finishing with figures of 3-23 in his four overs, while Murali Vijay and Manan Vohra scored half-centuries and provided the platform with a 97-run opening stand. Trivia

Rising Pune Supergiants have used 23 different players – the most used by any team in VIVO IPL 2016. RPS have the poorest win-loss record in home matches this season; they’ve won only 1 of their 6 home matches in VIVO IPL 2016. Ajinkya Rahane’s numbers in RPS wins in VIVO IPL 2016 read: 4 Innings, 3 Not Outs, 171 Runs, 171.00 Average, 130.53 Strike Rate and 2 half-centuries. In two VIVO IPL 2016 matches at Visakhapatnam, RPS’ Adam Zampa has picked up 9 wickets; he has an average of 4.44, an economy rate of 5.00 and a strike-rate of 5.33. VIVO IPL 2016 is the first time in nine seasons that MS Dhoni has been at the receiving end of 9 defeats in a season. What Next

It is the end of the road for both Rising Pune Supergiants and Kings XI Punjab as far as VIVO IPL 2016. The players will pack their kits and return home, hoping to rejoin the team in ten months time, but fare better than they have this season.