Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad at 7.30 pm
What to expect
Uncapped players have taken this tournament by surprise, and we can expect nothing less than another high-octane encounter in Ahmedabad. It will be a contest between Gujarat Titans’ specialists and Punjab Kings’ all-rounders.
With Shreyas Iyer, a title-winning captain with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last season, at the helm and a revamped squad, Punjab Kings (PBKS) might come into this game—and the tournament—believing that this is their season. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans(GT), led by Shubman Gill, who struggled for consistency last season, will look to set the tone for their campaign with a strong start.
Key battle
The middle order of GT—Glenn Phillips and Shahrukh Khan—will likely be up against one of the most successful bowlers in IPL history, Yuzvendra Chahal. Tackling and countering him could be crucial for GT to either set or chase a massive total.
GT Likely XI
A bowling-heavy team, GT will be relying on their top four batters to set the tone. There are no injury concerns for this game.
Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler, Sai Sudarshan, Glenn Philips, Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.
Impact sub: Sai Kishore
PBKS Likely XI
With three world-class all-rounders—Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and Marco Jansen—Punjab will have the option of choosing between an extra batter or an additional overseas pacer in Lockie Ferguson.
Shreyas Iyer (c), Prabhsimran Singh, PriyanshArya/Vijaykumar Vyshak, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Yuzvendra Chahal, Nehal Wadhera, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson/Josh Inglis, Arshdeep Singh
Impact sub: Shashank Singh
Pitch and weather
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium could prove to be another batter’s paradise, leading to a high-scoring contest. However, it can also play the other way, as GT were bowled out for 89 against Delhi last season, while SRH’s explosive batting line-up could only manage scores of 159 and 162.
The average score here remains around 200. Pacers might find some movement early in the innings, but as the match progresses, the surface tends to slow down.
Chasing might be the preferred option, as six of the last eight encounters at this venue have been won by the team batting second.