Analysis for the match.

We are not even a couple of weeks into the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League and we have already seen a plethora of outstanding moments. There have been plenty of brilliant catches, a few upsets, and some eye-catching players to watch out for. With the tournament extended to ten teams, there was some chatter of IPL losing in quality before it started but if anything, IPL has only grown in that department and we are up for a treat going forward.

Up next in the competition, Punjab Kings are set to take on Gujarat Titans in a match that will be of significant importance for both these sides. They both will be fairly content with the way they have done up until now and establishing themselves among the top-four sides will be the top priority for both of them.

Must see points.

1). Punjab Kings have a better-balanced side between the two, at least on paper

2). Gujarat Titans' batsmen have not looked as comfortable as the fans would have wanted and scoring big could be a challenge against a side coming off a fantastic outing with the ball

3). Punjab Kings' batsmen are pretty much all capable of dealing with the quick-bowlers well and are likely to pose a big threat even for the Titans' bowlers

Head to Heads.

There are no Head to Head matches between the two teams.

Match Prediction: PBKS to win the match.

1). If PBKS won the toss and opted to bowl first, GT could score 150-170 runs.

2). If GT won the toss and opted to bowl first, PBKS could score 170-190 runs.

Secondary Predictions.

1). Shikhar Dhawan total runs - over 27.5 runs.

Shikhar Dhawan may not have gotten a big one yet but he can take apart any bowling attack on his day and we saw that happen in the last season. The fact that he has a spectacular record against Mohammad Shami, who is the Titans' strike-bowler, weighs in Dhawan's favor. We expect him to get off to a solid start and a bet on him to score at least 23 runs is a pretty safe way to go.

2). Most sixes - Match - PBKS.

Punjab Kings' approach this season has been pretty straightforward - to hit as many balls across the boundaries as possible. The numbers suggest that too as they have hit the second-highest number of sixes - 33, behind only Rajasthan Royals. Considering the approach they are going to adopt and the fact that the Titans' batting hasn't been as good, a bet on Punjab Kings to score the most number of sixes seems to be a lucrative prospect.

3). Liam Livingstone total runs - over 30.5 runs.

Liam Livingstone finally found his mojo in the Indian Premier League as he scored a swashbuckling fifty and took two wickets to help his side cruise to a win against Chennai Super Kings. He is someone who can take the game away in a matter of minutes and can be a perfect candidate to take on Gujarat's pace battery. Given that he can contribute with the ball too makes him the most suitable candidate for a bet on the player of the match award too.

Match Preview.

The trademark of Punjab Kings is undoubtedly the approach they have decided to adopt this season and it is certainly paying off well. They decided to bank on the muscle power of Liam Livingstone, Odean Smith, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Shikhar Dhawan, and Shahrukh Khan. On top of that, Jonny Bairstow is yet to feature for them and that speaks volumes about how potent the Kings can be with the bat.

Punjab Kings are undoubtedly the side most packed with the power-hitters and that is reflected by the way they have batted. Punjab Kings have the highest powerplay run rate, of 10.94, among all teams and that just shows the intent they have shown in the first six overs when they have batted.

They have won two matches up until now from a total of three played, aggregating four points. Thanks to their excellent net run rate of 0.238, they are placed at the fourth spot on the ladder and will now be eyeing to get to the top. Another win here will put them at par with the Titans with only a net run rate separating the two sides.

Punjab Kings have followed the most eventful route in their journey so far and given the side they have, it is likely to stay the course going forward as well. Their approach of slam, bang, wallop might not produce the results every time but if there's any side capable of adopting that approach successfully, it is Punjab Kings.

While the batting looks packed for the Kings, their bowling doesn't look as good, though they have done well. They were carted for a total of over 200 in the first match but followed that up with a couple of decent outings. The recent addition of Kagiso Rabada has certainly helped Punjab in the bowling department and the way the Indian bowlers bowled was certainly commendable.

All in all, the last match arguably brought about the best with the ball for the Punjab Kings and if they can continue doing that with the ball, they will be a very threatening side going forward, especially given the batting order they have.

Before the tournament started or after the end of the auction, not many would have expected Gujarat Titans to perform the way they have up until now and they have certainly surprised one in a couple of matches gone so far. Hardik Pandya's captaincy has looked refreshing and his side has responded well.

Up in the tournament so far, Gujarat Titans have won both of their matches and are currently placed third in the points table with four points and a terrific net run rate of 0.495. Gujarat Titans have had their bowling dominate up until now and will be looking for their batsmen to step up as well.

Exactly opposite to Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans have ridden on some extraordinary bowling by their bowlers. They have a bowling attack boasting seam, swing, pace, and variations that can bamboozle even the best of batsmen. Not only have they picked up wickets up-front, they also boast the second-best economy rate, of 6.25, in the powerplay phase. They are one of the only few teams to win while defending and that speaks volumes about the kind of bowling attack they have.

Despite the fact that they have won both their matches, not all is going great for them. Their batting hasn't really fired as well as they would have liked it to and we might well see Vijay Shankar sit out in the next match. One thing that works in their favor is that they bat deep with David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, and Rashid Khan available to bat at six, seven, and eight respectively.

On paper, Gujarat Titans have a bowling heavy side but they have enough firepower with the bat to test even the best. They would want the likes of Shubhman Gill, Matthew Wade, Hardik Pandya, and David Miller to leave their mark in what is an important match for them. Given the form their bowling attack is in, if they can step-up their game with the bat, getting past them could prove to be incredibly difficult in the upcoming matches.

Match details.

Time - Apr 08th, 07:30 pm, IST.

Venue - Brabourne Stadium - Mumbai, India

Pitch report.

The competition is heating up with every passing match and so is the weather. We saw temperatures nudging 40 degrees in recent times but this being an evening game will help a bit. Having said that, it will be a humid day and fitness will be tested. Interestingly, an anti-dew agent was used here in the last match and that worked like a charm as dew didn't really have that big an impact. If anything, chasing became tougher as the ball started to move a bit more under lights. The surface, otherwise, is expected to be a good one to bat on with something there for the bowlers as well. The par score here will be around 175 and the team batting first would want to put at least 10-15 runs more than that to feel safe.

Team News.

Punjab Kings>>

Mayank Agarwal’s side made two changes ahead of their last game against CSK. Out went Harpreet Brar and Raj Bawa with pace bowler Vaibhav Arora and wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma coming into the side. We expect them both to retain their places in the side with Jonny Bairstow getting the nod over Bhanuka Rajapaksa.Punjab Kings have won three of their last four IPL fixtures. They already look like a far stronger unit than the side which has struggled to challenge over the last seven seasons.

Possible XI - Mayank Agarwal(C), Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma(Wk), Odean Smith, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora

Gujarat Titans>>

Hardik Pandya’s team were unchanged against Delhi Capitals and we expect them to give the same group of players the opportunity to make it three wins from three in this match. West Indian Alzarri Joseph is eager to get an opportunity but is unlikely to break into the side for this clash.GT could not have asked for a better start than two victories from two in the tournament. They were tested against Delhi Capitals but passed with flying colors.

Possible XI - Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade(Wk), Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya(C), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Aaron, Mohammed Shami