FANTASY PREVIEW
Follow UsTwo sides with completely different strengths and philosophies, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans will lock horns with each other at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday. Both teams will enter the contest with momentum on their side, having won their last respective matches. It’s a big clash, for victory will help either side consolidate their position in the Top 4 of the table.
Ground Details
The Punjab vs Gujarat clash on Friday is set to be the fourth match of the season at the Brabourne Stadium, and it has been a high-scoring venue, to say the least. The average first-batting score has been a mammoth 189, and it was incidentally also the same venue where the Lucknow Super Giants chased down 211 against the Chennai Super Kings. But while the first two matches at the venue was won by the team chasing, the last game at the Brabourne saw the batting-first side walk away with the win. And incidentally, it was Punjab who ended up defending the 180 they posted successfully, versus the Chennai Super Kings.
On the bowling front, it is the pacers who have taken the lion’s share of the wickets, a staggering 68% compared to the 32% by spinners. But the quicks have also been ultra expensive, having conceded at 9.8 runs per over. In comparison, spinners have been very economical, going at just 7.7 runs per over.
In the last match at the venue, Punjab bamboozled CSK with both pace and spin. While the likes of Vaibhav Arora, Rabada and Arshdeep did the damage up-front, Livingstone and Rahul Chahar made life difficult for the CSK batters post the powerplay.
Team selection
Captain selection
At the auction Punjab Kings snapped up Rahul Chahar for a sum of INR 5.25 crore, and with every passing game, the leggie is proving to be one of the best signings of the season. He currently has 6 wickets in 3 games and stands tall as the second-highest wicket-taking spinner, behind only Yuzvendra Chahal. He has managed to maintain a remarkable ER of 5.00 despite bowling on batter-friendly venues, and against CSK, picked a three-wicket haul that helped seal victory for the Kings. It would be a wise decision to back the leggie to wreak havoc on Friday.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Chahar to take 2-3 wickets vs Gujarat
X-factors
Mohammed Shami has caused chaos with the new-ball, and the experienced campaigner, currently, is bowling as well as he ever has in the shortest format. He kicked-off IPL 2022 with a stunning spell of 3/25 against Lucknow, and then backed it up with a crucial two-wicket haul vs Delhi. In the form and rhythm he is in, Shami is certainly one of the bowlers to watch out for.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Shami to take 2-3 wickets vs PBKS
Shami’s partner-in-crime, Lockie Ferguson too has made a sensational start to his IPL 2022 campaign. He started his season with a wicketless outing versus Lucknow, but managed to pick up a stunning four-fer vs Delhi to win the encounter for his side. The package he brings terrifies every batter, and he is certain to be a thorn in Punjab’s path come Friday.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Ferguson to take 1-2 wickets on Friday
Liam Livingstone is the kind of player that serves as the definition of ‘x-factor’, and he came into his own in the clash against Chennai Super Kings. Livingstone first blazed a stunning 32-ball 60 with the bat, and then took a crucial two-wicket haul with the bat to almost single-handedly win the encounter for Punjab. Come Friday, he’ll be keen to inflict misery on the Gujarat side.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Livingstone to score 20-30 runs and take 0-1 wickets vs GT
Here are the top-10 picks as per Criclytics projected points
Probable XIs
PBKS: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora
GT: Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade (wk), Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, *Varun Aaron / Darshan Nalkande
*Aaron is an injury doubt
