The fans will be ready for the thrilling twenty-seventh showdown of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 tournament as Punjab Kings (PBKS) gear up to clash with Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Mohali. The action kicks off on April 13th at 7:30 PM IST. PBKS currently holds the eighth spot on the points table, while RR enjoys a comfortable lead at the top.
PBKS has battled it out in five matches this IPL season, clinching victories in two encounters. On the other hand, RR has showcased dominance with four wins out of their five matches. In their recent face-off against Sunrisers Hyderabad, PBKS faced a narrow defeat by a margin of just 2 runs, despite a commendable performance by Shashank Singh, who contributed 46 runs.
RR, however, stumbled in their last game against Gujarat Titans, losing by 3 wickets despite impressive innings by Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag, who scored 68 and 76 runs respectively. Looking back at their history, PBKS has emerged victorious in 11 out of 26 encounters against RR.
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The newly inaugurated stadium boasts pace-friendly pitches, with quick bowlers claiming 23 wickets compared to just four for spinners in the two games played so far. Teams have had mixed results while chasing targets at this venue. RR maintains a lead of 15-11 in their 26 meetings with PBKS. Additionally, they have dominated PBKS in recent years, winning five out of seven games since IPL 2020.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
In the pre-match optional training session, Liam Livingstone showcased his prowess against spinners, engaging in a six-hitting duel with Jos Buttler in the parallel nets. However, PBKS has yet to confirm his return to the XI, with the final decision expected closer to the game.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s performance in IPL 2024 has raised concerns, particularly regarding his struggles against left-arm pacers. In five games this season, he has fallen victim to them thrice, averaging just 11.33. Arshdeep Singh of PBKS has notably troubled him, dismissing him twice in a mere 15 balls in their IPL encounters.
Probable XI: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Jonny Bairstow, Prabsimran Singh, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza/Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada [Impact sub: Arshdeep Singh]
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Updates on the match-fitness of Nandre Burger and Sandeep Sharma are eagerly awaited from the RR medical team. There’s speculation that RR might deploy Yuzvendra Chahal with the new ball, given his past success against PBKS openers. Chahal has dismissed Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow thrice each, with Bairstow particularly struggling, boasting a mere average of 8.7 and a strike rate of 92.9 against the spinner.
Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (C, wk), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, R Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Jos Butler, Sanju Samson, Shikhar Dhawan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shashank Singh, Sam Curran (c), Riyan Parag (vc), Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Jos Butler, Sanju Samson (c), Shikhar Dhawan (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sam Curran, Riyan Parag, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Sen
