The Punjab Kings and the Royal Challengers Bangalore are gearing up for an exciting match at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. The Kings are hoping to maintain their winning momentum, but they’re facing fitness concerns with their captain Shikhar Dhawan and all-rounder Liam Livingstone.
The Kings started their season with two consecutive victories, but they lost their next two games before making a comeback with a thrilling two-wicket win against the Lucknow Super Giants. Although Livingstone is yet to play due to an injury, the team found some unexpected stars to fill the gaps. Sam Curran has led the bowling attack, while Sikander Raza emerged as a new batting hero against the Super Giants. The team will also rely on Shahrukh Khan, their designated finisher, who delivered the winning touches in the previous game.
The Kings boast an impressive bowling lineup led by Curran, Arshdeep Singh, and Kagiso Rabada. In contrast, RCB’s bowling has been in the spotlight lately, with Mohammed Siraj being their standout performer. However, RCB has struggled with leaking too many runs in the latter part of the innings.
RCB’s batting lineup is formidable, featuring the current and former captains Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, as well as the explosive Glenn Maxwell. In their previous game against the Chennai Super Kings, the team almost chased down a record target with Maxwell and du Plessis leading the charge. The team will also be encouraged by the return to form of Dinesh Karthik and the batting of impact sub Suyash Prabhudesai.
Both teams will be looking for consistency in their campaigns, with RCB currently in eighth place in the points table. The pitch at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium usually favors chasing, but it hasn’t always yielded the desired outcomes. The weather forecast for the day predicts partly cloudy conditions, providing some respite from the scorching heat wave in the north.
The Kings’ management is grappling with the fitness concerns of Dhawan and Livingstone, and both players will undergo assessments on the eve of the game. If they’re deemed match-fit, both could walk into the XI straightaway. Rabada has a fantastic record against RCB, with 16 wickets in seven outings, including his tournament-best figures of 4/21.
For RCB, Josh Hazlewood is a doubtful starter due to his lengthy Achilles tendinitis injury. Kohli has a strike rate of 171.43 against the Kings’ left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, setting up an exciting match-up.
Here are the probable XI for both teams:
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prabhsimran Singh, Matthew Short/Liam Livingstone, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Wayne Parnell, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Siraj.
This match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two strong teams with plenty of firepower on both sides
