PUNJAB AND GUJARAT LOOK TO GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS
Published: 05:04 PM,Apr 12,2023 | EDITED : 09:04 PM,Apr 12,2023
This year’s auction has got most teams equally balanced and the result to this is the close encounters between a lot of teams. Another factor is that, many-a-players are fighting for either safe guarding their existing spot in the national team or to reclaim a lost spot, this has resulted in the competition being extremely high. Players realise that only special efforts will be noticed and hence they are willing to put everything on line for it. No team so far has been able to all-out dominate this season. With most teams differentiated on Net Run Rate at the moment, the bottom half teams have made it a mission to pull down teams from the top half, so that they can make their way. This makes the tournament even more interesting.
MATCH 16 of 74 – PUNJAB KINGS (PBKS) VS GUJARAT TITANS (GT) AT MOHALI (PUNJAB)
• INTRODUCTION – Gujarat Titans is coming on the back of a heart-breaking defeat, thanks to a swashbuckling innings of Rinku Singh (KKR). Although, the regular captain Hardik Pandya was rested in that game and Gujarat will be looking to forget it as a bad day at office. Punjab has looked to play high risk-high reward game so far and that approach did cost them against Hyderabad. Although vintage Shikhar Dhawan’s 99* would be a huge confidence booster. Both teams have played 3 games, where they won the first two and lost the third one.
• Head-to-Head - Played - 2; Won by PBKS – 1; Won by GT – 1
• PBKS possible XI – Shikhar Dhawan, Prabsimran Singh, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan/Kagiso Rabada, Sam Curran, Nathan Ellis, Mohit Rathee, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
• GT possible XI – Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Sai Sudarshan/Joshua Little, Hardik Pandya, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohd Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal/Shivam Mavi
• Pitch & Weather Report – The pitch at the Punjab Cricket Association “IS Bindra Stadium” is a balanced track. The opening bowlers will get some assistance from the surface as the ball tends to do a lot early on. Run-scoring will become easier for the batters once they are set.
• Our Match Prediction – Punjab Kings is a very strong side at home and the return of the much-awaited Liam Livingstone will make them an even more daunting side. They are definitely going to face a tough challenge against an extremely balanced side of Gujarat Titans. Gujarat Titans have a lot of match winners and they expect any one of them to click on a given day and the game is theirs. They don’t necessarily play with freedom, rather they opt to play conservative cricket, where they look to take the game deep and take advantage of the pressure situations. I feel that, Shikhar Dhawan is well determined to put up a strong case for his return to Indian team and he is doing that by enjoying every day of his cricket now, this makes him lethal. So its Punjabi Bhangra all the way!
• Fan Comments – “With both teams having exactly similar past records, I believe that Dhawan inspired Punjab Kings will take a lead in this game. That 99 from Dhawan was a pure delight for a cricket fan. Fighting against the odds and not giving up. Absoultely SPECIAL!!” – Navaneetha Krishnan, Key Account Manager (Taiba Pharma), 42 Years, Indian. “Its still early days for Gujarat Titans, but they have set a standard so high that its going to be very difficult to maintain it. Wonder if the Indian team will look to replicate this strategy for upcoming T20 World Cups.” – Masroor Cheeda, Partner (Cheeda International), 43 Years, Pakistani. “Would be interesting to see what happens to Yash Dayal. Would his career end here, or would he be backed like Stuart Broad and made into a Champion Bowler. That could have happened to anyone and I hope Gujarat backs him!” – Damodar Katti, Managing Director (Design Group), 48 Years, Indian. “IPL has played a big role in developing local talents, by providing them a platform with international players. Although, as a fan perspective, there should be a Champions League, between the winners of top T20 leagues around the world and that would be a pure delight for fans.” - Dylan D Cruz, Managing Director, 39 years, Pakistani. “The premium top T20 leagues should consider holding their qualifiers/eliminators/semi-finals in developing countries. This would not only help them build their increased fan base, but also help in promoting the growth of cricket in those upcoming regions as well. – Faiz Riaz, Managing Director (Mohammed Riaz & Partners) & National Golf Player for Oman, 33 years, Omani
MATCH 16 of 74 – PUNJAB KINGS (PBKS) VS GUJARAT TITANS (GT) AT MOHALI (PUNJAB)
• INTRODUCTION – Gujarat Titans is coming on the back of a heart-breaking defeat, thanks to a swashbuckling innings of Rinku Singh (KKR). Although, the regular captain Hardik Pandya was rested in that game and Gujarat will be looking to forget it as a bad day at office. Punjab has looked to play high risk-high reward game so far and that approach did cost them against Hyderabad. Although vintage Shikhar Dhawan’s 99* would be a huge confidence booster. Both teams have played 3 games, where they won the first two and lost the third one.
• Head-to-Head - Played - 2; Won by PBKS – 1; Won by GT – 1
• PBKS possible XI – Shikhar Dhawan, Prabsimran Singh, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan/Kagiso Rabada, Sam Curran, Nathan Ellis, Mohit Rathee, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
• GT possible XI – Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Sai Sudarshan/Joshua Little, Hardik Pandya, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohd Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal/Shivam Mavi
• Pitch & Weather Report – The pitch at the Punjab Cricket Association “IS Bindra Stadium” is a balanced track. The opening bowlers will get some assistance from the surface as the ball tends to do a lot early on. Run-scoring will become easier for the batters once they are set.
• Our Match Prediction – Punjab Kings is a very strong side at home and the return of the much-awaited Liam Livingstone will make them an even more daunting side. They are definitely going to face a tough challenge against an extremely balanced side of Gujarat Titans. Gujarat Titans have a lot of match winners and they expect any one of them to click on a given day and the game is theirs. They don’t necessarily play with freedom, rather they opt to play conservative cricket, where they look to take the game deep and take advantage of the pressure situations. I feel that, Shikhar Dhawan is well determined to put up a strong case for his return to Indian team and he is doing that by enjoying every day of his cricket now, this makes him lethal. So its Punjabi Bhangra all the way!
• Fan Comments – “With both teams having exactly similar past records, I believe that Dhawan inspired Punjab Kings will take a lead in this game. That 99 from Dhawan was a pure delight for a cricket fan. Fighting against the odds and not giving up. Absoultely SPECIAL!!” – Navaneetha Krishnan, Key Account Manager (Taiba Pharma), 42 Years, Indian. “Its still early days for Gujarat Titans, but they have set a standard so high that its going to be very difficult to maintain it. Wonder if the Indian team will look to replicate this strategy for upcoming T20 World Cups.” – Masroor Cheeda, Partner (Cheeda International), 43 Years, Pakistani. “Would be interesting to see what happens to Yash Dayal. Would his career end here, or would he be backed like Stuart Broad and made into a Champion Bowler. That could have happened to anyone and I hope Gujarat backs him!” – Damodar Katti, Managing Director (Design Group), 48 Years, Indian. “IPL has played a big role in developing local talents, by providing them a platform with international players. Although, as a fan perspective, there should be a Champions League, between the winners of top T20 leagues around the world and that would be a pure delight for fans.” - Dylan D Cruz, Managing Director, 39 years, Pakistani. “The premium top T20 leagues should consider holding their qualifiers/eliminators/semi-finals in developing countries. This would not only help them build their increased fan base, but also help in promoting the growth of cricket in those upcoming regions as well. – Faiz Riaz, Managing Director (Mohammed Riaz & Partners) & National Golf Player for Oman, 33 years, Omani