PBKS vs GT: The big picture
PBKS vs GT: Gujarat Titans are not only winning games in their first season of the Indian Premier League; they are also perplexing minds, defying odds, outperforming themselves individually and collectively. There aren’t many explanations for their dominance, just as there aren’t many answers for when their triumph juggernaut will come to an end.
They have undeniably the best bowling attack in the game, and despite a streak of victories, their batting flaws remain evident. Punjab Kings have a team that is as good as, if not better than, the table-toppers at the DY Patil Stadium. But, in a season marked by inconsistency, with only one win in the last four games, do they have the confidence to match their Tuesday night opponents and cross the finish line? It’s really unlikely.
The Mayank Agarwal-led team is addressing both the problem of abundance and the problem of deficiency. They have still to figure out their best XI, the makeup of the foreign players, and how to make victory a routine after more than half of the season has passed. They haven’t won back-to-back games yet in nine games, same to their other mid-table opponent Delhi Capitals.
PBKS vs GT: Match details
When: Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. IST
Where: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings
What to expect: Expect high humidity and temperatures about 30 degrees Celsius. Toss and dew are likely to play a role.
Head to Head: Gujarat Titans had previously defeated PBKS by 6 wickets earlier in the season.
Injured/Unavailable: Hardik Pandya was injured and unavailable after being hit by an Umran Khan delivery in the previous game. It’s unclear whether he’s totally recovered.
Also Read: IPL 2022: RCB vs CSK Match 49 Prediction
PBKS vs GT: Team-wise tactics and strategies
Gujarat Titans
Mohammed Shami, who has never dismissed Shikhar Dhawan in the IPL and has given up 156.52 runs per over, could be called in later. On the other hand, Lockie Ferguson has dismissed the southpaw three times in 46 balls. Rashid Khan, likewise, has dismissed Dhawan four times in 44 balls. Given Punjab’s troubles this season against Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya, R Sai Kishore could be a good fit.
Probable XI: Rahul Tewatia, Shubhman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Sai Sudarshan, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal
Punjab Kings
Shubhman Gill has been held in check by Kagiso Rabada, who has conceded only 20 runs in 32 balls while removing the Titans’ opener twice.
Probable XI: Jitesh Sharma (wk), Rishi Dhawan, Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Jonny Bairstow, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Arshdeep Singh
PBKS vs GT: Trivia
In the last over, the Titans have won five run chases, two of them off the last ball. In a single edition, only CSK in 2018 and RR in 2019 have won as many matches in the last over of a run chase.
Wriddhiman Saha has an SR of 142.18 and has scored 91 runs in the powerplay without being removed.
