The 58th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 pits Punjab Kings (PBKS) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala tonight at 7:30 PM IST.
Both teams are currently locked in a tight race for the playoffs, having won four out of their eleven matches played. RCB sit a place higher at seventh due to a superior net run rate.
RCB ride into this match on a winning streak of three games, while PBKS is licking their wound after a loss to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their previous outing.
Punjab Kings’ batting heavily relies on the form of Shashank Singh, with Jonny Bairstow and Ashutosh Sharma providing able support. While Prabhsimran Singh has provided promising starts, consistency and converting those starts into big scores remain a challenge.
Bairstow, however, boasts a phenomenal record against the visitors. In five innings, he has amassed a staggering 261 runs at a strike rate of 177.55, including a century and two fifties. His powerplay strike rate against RCB is even more intimidating at 216.
With Mohammed Siraj rediscovering his early-overs magic, any top-order failures for PBKS could prove costly.
On the bowling front, the host boasts a potent pace attack featuring Harshal Patel (17 wickets), Arshdeep Singh (15 wickets), Sam Curran (13 wickets), and Kagiso Rabada (11 wickets).
They will be tasked with stifling the in-form batting lineup of RCB, which features the likes of Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Dinesh Karthik. Rajat Patidar, Will Jacks, and Cameron Green have also found their groove in the latter half of the season, adding further depth to RCB’s batting.
Head-to-Head:
Historically, these two teams have met 32 times with PBKS holding a narrow lead of 17 wins to RCB’s 15. However, the visitors emerged victorious in their previous encounter this season in Bengaluru by four wickets.
With only three matches remaining for both teams, respectively, the possibility of reaching the playoffs hinges heavily on this encounter. A win for either side could be a virtual knockout blow, leaving the loser’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Given the high stakes, expect a thrilling and tightly contested match at the picturesque Dharamsala tonight.
Where-to-Watch:
OTT: JioCinema