The Gujarat Titans versus Punjab Kings match at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Friday is set to be an intriguing contest between the bat and the ball. On one hand are the Titans who possess a lethal bowling attack, on the other is the Kings’ muscle power with the bat.
To talk of the unbeaten Titans first, they boast of Mohammed Shami’s unplayable seam and swing, Lockie Ferguson’s scorching pace and spinner Rashid Khan’s unmatched guile. Though there is an injury concern over pacer Varun Aaron, it looks a complete, potent attack.
But Punjab have just the right kind of batsmen who can challenge such a bowling force. Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa form a powerful top three. Following them would be the fearsome big-hitting trio of Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith.
To explain the match-up in terms of numbers — the Titans’ bowling economy in Powerplay overs is a very impressive 6.25, while the Kings have enjoyed a Powerplay run rate as high as 10.94 so far in this edition. Punjab though have had a mixed tournament in terms of results.
Titans’ batting will depend heavily on the start Shubman Gill provides and the impetus that captain Hardik Pandya can offer in the middle. Punjab will look to Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada and spinner Rahul Chahar to inflict damage on the opposition. In a nutshell, the match has all the ingredients to be a fascinating contest.