PUN vs GUJ Match Prediction: Punjab Kings won the thriller the last time these two teams faced each other at Ahmedabad thanks to two new faces, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma. Both teams are in a similar position and one more loss will only deteriorate their position further. So, both will be eager for a victory here. Gujarat Titans will start this game as favourites and are likely to win.
League: Indian Premier League 2024
Match: Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans
Date: 21st April, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM
Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur
Some narrow defeats in the last three games have pushed Punjab Kings to the second-last spot in the points table. They have won just two out of seven games so far. The loss of Shikhar Dhawan has added to their woes. Dhawan’s captaincy and experience would have been crucial for the Kings. The other batters like Liam Livingstone, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran, and Jitesh Sharma have failed tp deliver consistently. However, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma have been a revelation this year. The bowling looks thin with Rabada not at his best of forms but Harshal Patel bowled well in the last game. The lack of a quality spinner has hurt them as Harpreet Brar is having a disappointing campaign.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans are in a slightly better position than the Kings. They are just above the Kings in the points table with three wins in seven matches so far. A lot relies on Shubman Gill and David Miller, two of their most reliable batters. Sai Sudharsan has been batting well but his low strike rates have been a worry. But the form of rest of the batting order is a worry. The bowling depends heavily on Rashid Khan. Sandeep Warrier and Spencer Johnson bowled well in the last game but went for runs. It will be a test of character of Titans to make a comeback after a stunning loss to Delhi Capitals in the last game.
Punjab Kings are likely to bring in Arshdeep Singh as the impact player when they are bowling.
Gujarat Titans can strengthen their batting orde by including Williamson into the playing XI. They are likely to bring in Mohit Sharma as the impact player when they are bowling.
The match will be played at.Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur. The pitch is likely to be good fir batting and a high-scoring game can be expected.
The weather will be clear with no chance of rain. The temperature will be around 25 degrees for the match and humidity will be around 31%.
Sam Curran – Curran has been uanble to keep up his batting form after a match-winning 63 in the last game. He has scored 132 runs this season in 7 matches. His performance with the ball has been better as he has 10 wickets to his name. He will be eager to produce a match-winning performance as the captain of the team.
Shubman Gill – Shubman Gill was the highest run-getter last season but it has been tough for him this year as a captain. He is under pressure to score runs at a good pace and also bat long as Gujarat’s batters are not having a great time. Expect him to rise to the expectations and produce a big one. He has scored 263 runs at an average of 43.83 and a strike rate of 151.14.
Sai Sudharsan – The youngster has scored runs this season but his strike rate is under the scanner. But he has the capability to change the gears at any stage and can play a lo.g innings. He has scored 238 runs at an average of 34 so far.
Prabhsimran Singh – Prabhsimran is a talented batter but is not having a great season so far. He showed his ability in the last year when he smashed a century against Delhi Capitals. He will be a fantastic captaincy option for this game as he is opening the batting and will get to play many balls. He has scored 119 runs in 7 matches this season.
Rashid Khan – Rashid is coming back into his groove after a disappointing initial few matches. The legspinner has been impressive in the last two games for Gujarat Titans. He can contribute with both bat and ball which makes him a top captaincy pick. He top-scored for his side with 31 in the last match. He has picked up 7 wickets at an averag of 29 this season.
Harpreet Brar – The left-arm spinner is having a disappointing season so far with just 4 wickets in 7 matches so far. He is likely to bat in the lower order which decreases his chances of fetching points in the fantasy team. He can be avoided for this game.
Shahrukh Khan – Shahrukh is likely to bat below Rahul Tewatia at No. 7. He is likely to get fewer balls to make any impact. He might not fetch many points and can be avoided for this game.
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Punjab Kings won the thriller the last time these two teams faced each other at Ahmedabad thanks to two new faces, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma. Both teams are in a similar position and one more loss will only deteriorate their position further. So, both will be eager for a victory here. Gujarat Titans will start this game as favourites and are likely to win.
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