PUN vs RAJ Match Prediction:Punjab Kings have had a middling season so far and have plenty of problems to address. Their top order needs to fire while bowling has lacked penetration as well. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals looks in good shape despite a loss in their previous game. Given the recent form, Rajasthan Royals are the favorites to win the game here.
League: Indian Premier League 2024
Match: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals
Date: 13th April, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM
Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur
Punjab Kings started their tournament on a good note but are struggling to find a right combination at the moment. Their young domestic talents have made their impressions but a lack of performance from their overseas players have hampered their chances. Jonny Bairstow, seen as one of the best white-ball players of this generation, has been awfully out of form while captain Shikhar Dhawan too has struggled to score big runs so far. The focus will be on Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma once again as they have been the finds of the tournament so far.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals are in a much better position. They won their first four games and lost their fifth game narrowly to Gujarat Titans. They have looked like a complete unit so far in both batting and bowling. They have the in-form Riyan Parag while captain Sanju Samson has shown consistency as well. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler’s form can be a worry but Royals are likely to persist with their star opening combination. The bowling looks in good hands with Trent Boult leading the pack. Kuldeep Sen’s inclusion makes their line-up even more potent. Spinners Ashwin and Chahal have been threatening in the middle overs.
Liam Livingstone is likely to be back after missing a few games due to injury. If he is still unfit, Sikandar Raza is likely to keep his place. Punjab Kings are likely to bring in Arshdeep Singh as the impact player when thry are bowling.
Rajasthan Royals like to keep their options open for the impact player. They are likely to bring Nandre Burger as the impact player if they want to strengthen their bowling. If they lose early wickets and are looking for an extra batter, they are likely to bring in Rovman Powell as the impact player.
The match will be played at.Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur. The pitch will favour the seamers initially but will get good for batting later.
The weather will remain clear with no chance of raim. The temperature will be around 23 degrees and will go down as the match progresses.
Shikhar Dhawan – Shikhar Dhawan is a stalwart in the IPL. He has been around since the start of this tournament and has scored loads of runs. Dhawan has been a consistent performer but this season hasn’t been great according to his standards. He will be eager to get some runs in an important match. He has scored 130 runs at an average of 30.40 so far in IPL 2024.
Sanju Samson – The RR captain is in fantastic form with the bat. He has carried his team through alongwith Riyan Parag despite lean patches of Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal. On a true batting surface, Samson can be a dangerous batter for any opposition. In IPL 2024, he has scored 246 runs at an average of 82.
Trent Boult – Boult is a genuine wicket-taker with the new ball. The conditions are likely to assist seamers in the early overs and Boult can prove to be a danger for Punjab’s top order. He has picked up 5 wickets in five matches at an average of 24.80.
Jonny Bairstow – Bairstow is having a diffcult time with the bat but he has the capability to smash any bowling attack. He will be hungry to score runs as well. He can make quick runs in the powerplay and can fetch a few points.
Jos Buttler – Apart from a hundred, Buttler’s form hasn’t been great as well. But if gets set, he can get big runs like he showed against RCB. Buttler is a dangerous and and experienced player in this format. In IPL 2024, he has scored 143 runs at an average of 35.75.
Harpreet Brar – Brar has picked up just 4 wickets in five matches so far. He is an economical bowler but does not get enough wickets. He is unlikely to bat or will get a fewer no. of balls to bat, and may not fetch enough points. He can be avoided for this game.
Dhruv Jurel – Due to the success of Samson and Parag, Dhruv Jurel hasn’t faced many balls in IPL 2024. He is likely to bat lower down the order in this game and may not fetch enough points. He can be avoided for this game.
Punjab Kings have had a middling season so far and have plenty of problems to address. Their top order needs to fire while bowling has lacked penetration as well. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals looks in good shape despite a loss in their previous game. Given the recent form, Rajasthan Royals are the favorites to win the game here.
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