IPL 2023, PBKS vs RR: Fate out of its own hands, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings face desperate situation

IPL 2023: Punjab Kings take on Rajasthan Royals in Dharamshala on Friday. The two teams remain in playoff contention but do not have the situation under their control, as the winner of this meet will expect other results to go their way.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) would need to review its bowling plans. At the same time, former champion Rajasthan Royals (RR) will have to live up to their high potential when both inconsistent teams make a last-ditch effort to keep their slim playoff hopes alive in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala on Friday.

Considering their superior net run rate, the Royals are better placed than the PBKS ahead of their final league game, but both will have to rely on other results after an up-and-down season. The season has told a familiar story for perennial under-performers PBKS, who once again could not seize the crucial moments at the business end of the tournament.

The pace department has been guilty of leaking too many PowerPlay (PP) runs and death overs. With Kagiso Rabada, Sam Curran and Arshdeep Singh conceding close to 10 runs per over, the team is bound to feel the pressure. While Rabada has not been at his best, not using Arshdeep in PP and death overs here on Wednesday night was expectedly questioned. The pacer has made his name nailing yorkers in the death overs and has lately troubled the opening batters with his swing.

After being consistent in the tournament's first half, the lanky left-arm pacer has gone off the boil and will look to lift his game in the must-win contest. Shikhar Dhawan used left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar in the 20th over against Delhi Capitals (DC), and it backfired massively, effectively making the difference in the game.

On the batting front, Dhawan has been unable to get going in the last two games and would want to lead from the front. RR, which looked like the team to beat in the first half of IPL with four wins from their first five games, only have itself for its troubles. Despite exemplary performances from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Yuzvendra Chahal, the star-studded outfit has flattered to deceive.

Jos Buttler has played some sensational knocks but needs to be more consistent. Having been dismissed without scoring in the previous two games, the England batter will be itching to perform in the do-or-die match. Skipper Sanju Samson backs himself to take on the bowlers in any situation and will continue to play the high-risk game. Considering the depth of its squad, Rajasthan was among the pre-tournament favourites who went too hot and cold for its liking.

Squads:
RR: Sanju Samson (c & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Joe Root, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht and Abdul PA.
PBKS: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathee and Shivam Singh.

Match details
Date and day: May 19, 2023 (Friday)
Venue: HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and other Star Sports regional language channels - Also available in HD
Where to watch (Online): JioCinema