Punjab Kings will be going up against Rajasthan Royals in their IPL 2024 match on Saturday in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. In this match, RR opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will aim to complete his 50 sixes in the IPL. He is just one maximum away from the big feat. The Shikhar Dhawan-led side will be coming to this clash after facing a narrow 2-run defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous match. On the other hand, RR lost against Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets, which was also their first loss of the season. Currently placed at the eighth spot in the points table, PBKS will aim to get back to the winning ways.
Entering the fourth weekend of the 2024 Indian T20 League, it is time for match number 27, where Punjab will face off against Rajasthan at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. Sanju Samson and his team experienced their first defeat in the 17th edition of the Indian T20 League, making them the last to do so, whereas Shikhar Dhawan and his squad are yet to hit their stride. Punjab have blown hot and cold so far, currently languishing in the bottom half of the table with just 2 wins from 5 games. In their recent clash against Hyderabad, Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh nearly carried them over the finishing line, falling short by just 2 runs. However, their top order, comprising Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, and Prabhsimran Singh, has struggled to find form, still seeking their rhythm. Punjab will be eager for the return of Liam Livingstone and are expecting more from both bat and ball from Sam Curran and Sikandar Raza. The bright spots for them have been the emergence of heroes like Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh. Despite this, their spin bowling has faced challenges, putting the onus on Harpreet Brar to elevate his performance and a possible inclusion of Rahul Chahar. In the pace department, Arshdeep Singh shone with a four-wicket haul in the last game, while Kagiso Rabada and Harshal Patel contributed as well. A collective bowling effort from Punjab will be imperative to take down a strong Rajasthan batting unit. On the flip side, Rajasthan currently lead the standings with four wins out of five games. In their previous encounter against Gujarat, they controlled the game for the most part but faltered in the last two overs of their bowling effort. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal’s limited contributions to Rajasthan’s victories, the team has been buoyed by consistent performances from Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson. Jos Buttler could not back up his century against Bengaluru in the last outing, but he will hold the key up top. In terms of bowling, Yuzvendra Chahal has led the pack, well-supported by Ravichandran Ashwin. The absence of Sandeep Sharma has left a gap in their death bowling options. Trent Boult and Nandre Burger have performed admirably with the new ball, with the latter expected to return after missing out in the last game. Playing in his first game of the season, Kuldeep Sen impressed with a three-five wicket haul and will be aiming to capitalise on this momentum, whereas Avesh Khan will be looking to make amends after a not-so-great last over against Gujarat. With both teams hungry for a victory following recent defeats, it sets the stage for an intense showdown. Who are you backing to come out on top?