Ahemdabad: Everything was fine for Punjab Kings till last week. Six wins, tabletop, invincible title. Then in Mullanpur, Rajasthan Royals changed everything in one stroke. Today Punjab Kings have come to Ahmedabad, but this time the host Gujarat Titans are also looking in great form. Two wins in a row and now at the home front.
Is secret of Punjab’s bowling revealed?
Punjab is unmatched in batting. This season they have a batting average of 43.1 and a strike rate of 186, better than any team in the entire history of the IPL. But the bowlers have disappointed time and again. 223 could not be defended against Rajasthan, which shows that when the batsmen missed, the bowlers could not hold on. There have also been many dropped catches in the fielding, carelessness at this stage of the tournament could prove costly.
Is Gujarat’s entire team based on three people?
Gill, Sudarshan and Butler, GT’s batting starts and ends with these three names. If these three return soon, the rest of the middle order is still not reliable. Washington Sundar 169 runs in 9 matches, no pace, no big score. Yes, Jason Holder has definitely come in handy. 2 wickets for 29 runs, three catches against RCB, his mark was clear in the win.
What is the Ahmedabad pitch saying?
Today the match is on pitch number 5 at Narendra Modi Stadium. There was only one match here this season, Mumbai scored 199, Gujarat scored 100. Fast bowlers get advantage on good length here. The heat will reduce slightly by evening but will not go below 30.
Which players to keep an eye on?
Gill has scored 373 runs at a strike rate of 155 this season. Priyansh Arya’s strike rate is over 250, the fastest among 100-plus scorers in the entire IPL. And Mohammed Siraj, 7 wickets at an economy of 6.7 in the last 6 matches, looks a completely different bowler than before.
For whom is it more important to win today?
Punjab needs only 2 wins in the remaining 6 matches, the path to the playoffs will be clear. Gujarat still has 5 matches left, a third consecutive win would put them firmly in the race for the top four. Punjab has the runs, Gujarat has the field. The decision will be taken today at 7:30 pm in Ahmedabad.
