Punjab Kings began their season with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders, where Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Arshdeep Singh played important roles. Their next match was against the Rajasthan Royals, where the opening pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Shikhar Dhawan gave a great start, but the middle order failed to capitalize. They set a target of 198 runs, which Rajasthan struggled to chase, eventually falling 5 runs short. Shikhar Dhawan's individual effort kept them alive against Sunrisers Hyderabad, but their total of 143 was not enough to stop Hyderabad from chasing it down.
Gujarat Titans won their first match against Chennai Super Kings thanks to Shubman Gill's 68-run innings, and their second match against Delhi Capitals thanks to Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan's excellent bowling and contributions from Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar, and David Miller with the bat. In their most recent match against Kolkata Knight Riders, they set a strong target of 205 runs, but Knight Riders made a remarkable comeback in the last over, with Rinku Singh hitting five consecutive sixes to win the match in dramatic fashion.
Match: PBKS vs GT, 18th Match
Date: Thursday, April 13, 2023
Time: 7:30 PM
Venue: Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
Live Streaming: Jio Cinema.
Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders had a couple of encounters last year. In the first match, Subhman Gill played a crucial role in Gujarat's victory over Punjab Kings with his 96-run innings. However, in the second match, Kagiso Rabada's exceptional performance saw him pick up four wickets and dismantle Gujarat's batting line-up. Consequently, the Titans could only set a target of 144 runs, which was comfortably chased down by the Kings.
Shikhar Dhawan, the captain of Punjab Kings, has been the mainstay of the team in the last two matches, scoring back-to-back innings of 80 or more runs. What makes his contribution even more remarkable is that he has been fulfilling the dual roles of an opening batsman and a finisher. As the captain of the team, Dhawan shoulders a lot of responsibility, especially after Bhanuka Rajapaksa's injury dealt a big blow to the team's batting lineup. With the exception of Rajapaksa, the other batsmen in the Punjab Kings' lineup have struggled so far, placing even greater pressure on Dhawan to perform in their upcoming game against the Gujarat Titans.
Sai Sudharsan, the left-handed batsman of Gujarat Titans, has emerged as a surprise performer for Hardik Pandya's team. Despite being an uncapped young Indian player, Sudharsan has played a crucial role for his team in the IPL, scoring two consecutive half-centuries and securing his spot in the starting lineup. His impressive performances have made him a shining star for the Titans, especially since he was called up to replace the departing Kane Williamson and has exceeded expectations set for him.
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan ©, Prabhsimran Singh, Matthew Short, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Subhuman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya ©, David Miller, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Joshua Little
Wicket-Keeper: Wriddhiman Saha
Batters: Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudarshan, Prabhsimran Singh
All-rounders: Sam Curran, Hardik Pandya
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Nathan Ellis
Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium is renowned for its high-scoring nature. The sluggish surface favors batters, especially after the initial overs. Historical data suggests that pursuing a target on this ground is relatively straightforward, and even a score of 180 runs is deemed unsafe to protect.
Gujarat Titans seem to be in better shape than Punjab Kings, as their batting line-up, except for Shikhar Dhawan, has been poor. This could give Hardik Pandya's team an edge over the Punjab Kings, as they have a more balanced side.
