Defending champions Gujarat Titans dramatically lost their first game of the season to Kolkata Knight Riders via Rinku Singh’s five sixes heroics while PBKS were thrashed by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Tied on four points, both franchises are facing off for the third time with one win each.
PBKS vs GT injury update
PBKS injury update Punjab Kings have increased squad strength as English pinch-hitter Liam Livingstone has recovered from injury and has joined the squad. Kagiso Rabada is also available. However, it is unclear if the player is match fit. Sri Lankan batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa hurt his arm in the side’s second game of the season and missed the game against SRH as well. There’s no update on his return yet.
Key players Skipper Shikhar Dhawan is leading the star from the front with back-to-back knocks of 86* and 99* and currently leads the Orange cap race. Opener Prabhsimran Singh failed in the last game but has been find of the season as the batter provided quickfire starts with his explosive batting but was out for a duck in the last game.
Australian debutant Matt Short had a bad start to his IPL career as he replaced Rajapaksa with just a run in the last game. Wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma is entrusted with a prominent role in the middle order and has played two decent knocks of 21 and 27. Down the order, Sam Curran and Shahrukh Khan provide firepower in the slog overs. In-form Sikandar Raza is another busy run-scorer and could come in handy as the season progresses.
PBKS pace bowling has some good quality bowlers in Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, and Curran. Singh (6 wickets) and Ellis has effected 11 dismissals together in three games while World Cup winner Curran has struggled to be among wickets and may lose his spot to Rabada. Among spinners, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar and Sikandar Raza haven’t made the desired impact yet.
GT injury update Hardik Pandya missed the last game as he was unwell but is likely to return for the game. Apart from that no further injury is reported from the GT camp on the eve of the match.
GT key players Shubman Gill and Sai Shudharsan are the men in form with three half-centuries between them. All-rounder Vijay Shankar showed his new avatar of power hitting in the last game too with a knock of 63 in just 24 balls. Wriddhiman Saha, on the other, hand has struggled to play substantial knocks up top. Down the order, David Miller and Abhinav Manohar and Rahul Tewatia provide firepower.
Spinner Rashid Khan took the season’s first hat-trick and has eight wickets in three games. Alzarri Joseph’s left-handed pace bowling has troubled many batters as the Antiguan has taken six wickets in three games while Mohammad Shami has brought his experience to the season with as many wickets. Irish pacer Joshua Little has been nagging behind with just two wickets while Yash Dayal was on the receiving end of Rinku’s wrath in absence of Pandya.
PBKS vs GT predicted playing 11 and impact sub options
PBKS predicted playing 11 vs GT Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prabhsinmran Singh, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Mohit Rathee, Nathan Ellis
PBKS Impact sub options Sikandar Raza, Liam Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Rishi Dhawan,
GT predicted playing 11 vs PBKS Hardik Pandya (C), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Abhinav Manohar, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Mohammad Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Rashid Khan, Joshua Little
GT Impact sub options: Rahul Tewatia, KS Bharat, Dasun Shanaka,
PBKS vs GT pitch report
PCA Cricket Stadium’s pitches provide early assistance to pace bowlers but it’s a known high-scoring cricket ground and has favoured team, who chases, irrespective of how high the target it. The boundary size is 75 meters across the field except for the behind square boundaries, which are shorter.
PBKS vs GT Dream11 prediction
PBKS vs GT dream11 predicted lineup 1
Wicket-keeper: J Sharma, W Saha, P Singh
Batter: S Dhawan S Gill S Sudharsan
All-rounder: H Pandya, V Shankar
Bowler: Rashid Khan, A Singh, M Shami
PBKS vs GT Dream11 predicted lineup 2
Wicket-keeper: W Saha, P Singh
Batter: S Dhawan S Gill, S Sudharsan, D Miller
All-rounder: H Pandya, V Shankar
Bowler: Rashid Khan, A Singh, N Ellis
Captain & vice captain options S Gill, S Dhawan and S Sudharsan are among hot picks given their form while PCA wicket is a belter.
