Table Of Contents
Punjab Kings have won 4 of their last 5 matches and lost one. They won their last match against Mumbai Indians and topped the points table. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have also won 3 matches in the last 5, lost one and one was cancelled due to rain. RCB made a good comeback by winning their last match against Lucknow Super Giants. Both teams are in good form and today's match is important.
Punjab showed up and down form in the season but they created momentum in the last matches. Qualifying for the playoffs was not easy for them but they fought till the last moment and made a place in the top 2. Now their aim is to qualify directly for the final. They achieved a big victory in the last match due to which the team's confidence is quite high. There is improvement in both bowling and fielding and now the team would like to move forward with a strong performance. This match is crucial for Punjab because if they win then the final will be confirmed straightaway.
RCB started the season a bit slow but then made a place in the playoffs by winning matches continuously. The team showed a tremendous turnaround in the middle stage where they played good cricket even under pressure. Their current position is strong and now they would like to win Qualifier 1 and go directly to the final. Their last match was a bit tight but they kept control in the clutch moment. Bowling showed a good comeback and team balance looks strong. Now in this match RCB's target will be to maintain momentum by defeating Punjab. Even in a situation of losing they will have one more chance but the team would like to take a shortcut from here.
So far 35 head-to-head matches have been played between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL. Punjab Kings have won 18 times, while RCB has won 17 times. The match between the two teams is always fierce and close. Today also both the teams will play with full strength and will try their best to win.
The pitch of Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh is good for both the teams. So far 9 matches have been played here. The team batting first has won 5 times and the team batting second has won 4 times. The average score on the pitch is around 170. The weather will be clear, the temperature will be between 30 to 34 degree Celsius. Humidity will be a little high, between 37 to 55 percent. There are no chances of any rain, so the match will be played without interruption.
Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis(wk), Shreyas Ilyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kyle Jamieson, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Arshdeep Singh
Impact Players: Prabhsimran Singh, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlet, Musheer Khan
Injury Update: None
Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Liam Livingstone/Tim David, Jitesh Sharma(w/c), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara/ Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
Impact Players: Rajat Patidar, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh.
Injury Updates: None
If Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the toss and choose to bowl first, Punjab Kings are expected to score 50-55 runs in the powerplay and post a total of 195-200 runs. Despite this decent score, RCB are predicted to chase it down successfully, as they have a strong batting lineup and chasing teams have done well at this venue.
If Punjab Kings win the toss and also decide to bowl first, RCB are projected to have a strong start with 55-65 runs in the powerplay and go on to score 200-210 runs in total. Even in this case, RCB are predicted to win, showing dominance in both scenarios.
In both situations, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are expected to win the match.
Shreyas Iyer has shown amazing performance in the middle overs. He has scored 514 runs in this IPL and his average is above 51. His innings of 53 against DC in Jaipur and 72 against CSK showed that he remains cool under pressure. His shot selection and calmness have become the biggest strength of PBKS' middle order. His batting is worth watching when he dances against spin.
Arshdeep Singh has taken 18 wickets in 14 matches. His yorkers and variations in the death overs turned matches for PBKS. His spell of 3/16 against Lucknow in Dharamsala is remembered by everyone. He took 2 wickets against MI on the Jaipur pitch as well. He becomes even more deadly when the ball swings.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru can reach the final by winning this Qualifier 1 match. Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are coming back, which will be a big plus point for them. Both players will strengthen the team in both bowling and batting. However , RCB will have to play its best game against Punjab Kings.
Disclaimer: CricOpinion provides predictions based on analysis, understanding, and intuition. Refer to records and stats before making decisions. You are not bound to follow these predictions. CricOpinion is not responsible for any losses, damages, or consequences resulting from the use of this information.
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