Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will be locking horns with each in the 16th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Friday. They both have had a decent run in the tournament so far and would be looking to continue the same. PBKS have won 2 out of 3 matches and find themselves in the 4th position on the points table. The only loss has come against Kolkata Knight Riders. PBKS registered a win over the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the previous match by 54 runs.
Gujarat Titans, under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, have emerged as the only team to remain unbeaten in the ongoing edition of the IPL. They started their campaign by defeating Lucknow Super Giants by 5 wickets and followed it with a win over Delhi Capitals by 14 runs.
ALSO READ: Match 16 (PBKS vs GT) – Probable XI And Fantasy XI
In the game against CSK, Liam Livingstone smashed 60 runs and took 2 wickets for PBKS. On the other hand, Gujarat Titans played their last game against Delhi Capitals where they won the game by 14 runs. Shubman Gill knocked 84 runs while Lockie Ferguson picked up 4 wickets for Gujarat Titans in that game. Ahead of the key clash at the Brabourne Stadium, we take a look at the three key player battles to watch out for.
#3 Mohammed Shami vs Shikhar Dhawan
In his opening game of the season, Mohammed Shami was too hot to handle for LSG’s batting lineup. He looked in a great rhythm and would be oozing to continue the same form against PBKS. Shikhar Dhawan, meanwhile, looked composed and played some cheeky shots against the MI bowlers. He hit a 24-ball 33 and looked bright during his stay on the crease. While Shami will look to hit the right areas consistently, Dhawan is not someone who will back down from the contest.
#2 Mayank Agarwal vs Lockie Ferguson
Lockie Ferguson will be making comeback to the playing XI and it will be a major boost for GT and for good reason. His spell will be crucial for GT. Mayank Agarwal, meanwhile, gave a valuable lesson in PBKS’ last match on how a batter with intent could accelerate despite a slow start. It will thus be a cracking contest between pace and panache when Mayank and Ferguson face off.
#3 Liam Livingstone vs Rashid Khan
Both Liam Livingstone and Rashid Khan have continued to command their authority in the IPL over the last few years. The duo has locked horns with each quite a few times in the past in the IPL. The numbers suggest that Livingstone looks to play out Rashid. Both Livingstone and Rashid like to own the middle overs. Hence, it would be interesting to see who comes out on top on Friday.
