🏏IPL 2023: Match 18 - PBKS vs GT on 13/04/23 at 7:30 PM IST 🏏 - Page 2

For Punjab Kings, the feeling might be new. For the first time since the 2021 season, they managed two back-to-back league stage wins to start off their campaign this year.

For a perennially inconsistent side, they'd be chuffed with that beginning. They too, however, go into Thursday's fixture on the back of a defeat but will be buoyed by the availability of Kagiso Rabada and Liam Livingstone that should bring them the combination of balance and firepower that they strove to achieve at the auction table this year.

Punjab Kings

Injury/Availability: Livingstone has joined up with the PBKS squad and should walk into the XI. The hosts could draft in last season's leading wicket-taker Kagiso Rabada too. For the sake of balance, they are unlikely to be able to fit both Rabada and Nathan Ellis, even as the Australian has bowled impressively in the three games. If Bhanuka Rajapaksa is available, PBKS might have to decide between him and Sikandar Raza for one of the overseas picks.

Tactics & Matchups: Picking Rabada and unleashing him on Gujarat Titans openers could be a good move, particularly since he has the wood over Shubman Gill. The GT opener has been dismissed twice in the 38 balls he's faced from the South African, and has scored just 29 runs.

Injury/Unavailable: Hardik Pandya should be back after missing the last game owing to an illness.

Tactics & Matchups: Only in one of the three games so far, Rashid Khan has bowled an over in the PowerPlay. Hardik Pandya could turn to him early on Thursday to nip the Shikhar Dhawan threat in the bud. The PBKS captain, who sits atop the batting charts of IPL 2023, has scored just 53 runs in 56 balls faced from the leggie and has been dismissed four times too.

2 babas doing rounds and they are contradicting each other.

One says PBKS will win irrespective of who bowls first and the other predicts, team bowling first will win.🤔

I better do my own maths.😊

Cheers..

Guys

Everyone need to help me this time

Ab bohot ho gaya hain

I need points

Zyada points

Ab mazak nahi

Help me 😭🤣

Thanks for the tag Madhuri. A tough match for Punjab Kings. In a dilemma over which team to pick today. 😆I'll decide shortly before the match starts.

Originally posted by: Savera84

2 babas doing rounds and they are contradicting each other.

One says PBKS will win irrespective of who bowls first and the other predicts, team bowling first will win.🤔

I better do my own maths.😊

Cheers..

And this says PBKS chances more

Did you know: Since 2018, PBKS have won 9 of the 11 matches played in Mohali

Originally posted by: Savera84

Who is this baba who predicted to the T. I badly need their address.

Cheers..

Originally posted by: SoniRita

And this says PBKS chances more

Did you know: Since 2018, PBKS have won 9 of the 11 matches played in Mohali

Should I change the winner to Punjab ?

Can't get enough of this, can you? Such hectic stuff over the last few days with one thriller after another, and you keep coming back for more. IPL season is well and truly on. Hello and welcome to our coverage of Match 18 of the tournament. It's Punjab Kings taking on defending champs Gujarat Titans in Mohali. Both teams have had identical results so far, winning their first two matches before losing the third. Now it's time to go their separate ways.

Wese

Hardik is back doing Captaincy or not ?

Gujarat come into this game after being on the receiving end of the most incredible IPL heist. They were on course for a third straight win before Rinku Singh happened. And the rest is history. They'll be eager to bounce back quickly, and will be glad to have Hardik Pandya back. The Gujarat captain missed the previous game as he was unwell, but will return today.