PBKS vs GT Preview: Punjab, Gujarat strive for better standings on the table

Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans (GT) lock horns in match 37 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Sunday, April 21.

Punjab finds themselves languishing at No. 9 on the points table, with two wins and five losses from seven games. Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, have fared slightly better as they have three wins and four losses from seven matches and are placed at No. 8 on the table.

The Kings have lost their last three games by close margins. However, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma have played well for them consistently and will want some more support from the top-order batters. They are coming off an agonizing nine-run defeat against Mumbai Indians in their last game.

Gujarat have lost three out of their last four games. Captain Shubman Gill, who had a standout season last year, has blown hot and cold in IPL 2024. However, he is still the highest run-getter for his team, having aggregated 263 runs from seven innings at 43.83. Sai Sudharsan had a promising start to the tournament but has not been able to convert his starts. Mohit Sharma is the leading wicket-taker for GT as he has bagged eight wickets in seven games at an average of 27.

Head to Head

The head-to-head scoreline is evenly poised between these two sides as each team has won two matches out of the four they have played against each other.

Pitch Report

Four games have been played so far at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Singh International Cricket Stadium in IPL 2024. The average first-innings score is 174. Out of the four games, two have been won by the chasing teams, while two have been won by teams batting first. Batters have to show some patience and get themselves set a the crease before going hammer and tongs. After playing four games at the ground, Punjab should be having a fair idea of what could greet them. Meanwhile, Gujarat will have to assess and react as the game goes on.

Probable Playing XI

Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Atharva Taide, Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada Impact Sub – Arshdeep Singh

Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Spencer, Johnson, Sandeep Warrier, Impact Sub – Shahrukh Khan