The match 66 of IPL 2023 between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Dharamshala’s HPCA Stadium on Friday, 19th May promises to be an exciting contest. Punjab is on the eighth position in the points table, while Rajasthan is on the sixth position.
PBKS, led by Shikhar Dhawan, have won six and lost seven matches so far, while RR, captained by Sanju Samson have also won six and seven matches in their campaign. In their last match, PBKS suffered a huge loss against the Delhi Capitals (DC). Meanwhile, RR secured also suffered a huge loss against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their last match.
Two highly skilled teams are set to collide in what promises to be an exciting match. With both the teams eager to secure their seventh win in the IPL 2023. Both teams have played thirteen matches in this season. Punjab has won 12 games, while Rajasthan has won 14 games so far in the head to head encounters.
Also Read: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals: Who Will Win Today Match in IPL 2023?
Here are three player battles to watch out for during PBKS vs RR match:
1) Liam Livingstone vs Yuzvendra Chahal
Following his impressive 94 off 48 balls in the previous match, Liam Livingstone aims to continue his heroics. However, Yuzvendra Chahal poses a threat as he has dismissed Livingstone seven times in their 17 encounters. Chahal’s dominance over Livingstone was evident in their previous IPL encounter, where he claimed his wicket after conceding only four runs off nine balls. Chahal’s middle-over prowess is evident with nine wickets in that phase this season.
2) Shikhar Dhawan vs Trent Boult
The clash between opener Shikhar Dhawan and Trent Boult promises an exciting battle at the beginning of the match. In their 11 IPL meetings, Boult has dismissed Dhawan once. Despite Dhawan’s limited success against Boult, accumulating only 80 runs off 71 deliveries, the opener remains a formidable opponent. Boult has been exceptional in the powerplay, claiming nine of his 12 wickets in this phase. Dhawan, on the other hand, has been dismissed five times during this period.
3) Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Arshdeep Singh
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s impressive form this season has caught the attention of PBKS, who aim to contain him. In the powerplay overs, Jaiswal will face the challenge of Arshdeep Singh. Their previous IPL encounters saw Jaiswal fall victim to Arshdeep twice, scoring only six runs off eight balls. Arshdeep has been a reliable performer in the powerplay, taking six wickets at an economy rate of 10.28. Jaiswal, known for his explosive batting, boasts a powerplay strike rate of 176.96 this season.