3 player battles to watch out for in PBKS vs MI, Match 46 of IPL 2023
IPL 2023 returns to Mohali tonight for a battle between Shikhar Dhawan's Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians (MI). Both teams are coming off a win in their respective previous encounters.
Punjab stunned the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai last Sunday by pulling off the highest successful run-chase by a visiting team at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. A complete team performance helped the Kings chase a 201-run target against the Super Kings.
On the other hand, Tim David's incredible cameo of 45 runs from just 14 balls helped the Mumbai Indians beat the Rajasthan Royals in their last game.
MI lost a game against PBKS earlier this season, and they will be keen to avenge that loss when the two teams take the field at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium later tonight.
Both teams will be desperate for a victory in Mohali. PBKS are currently sixth in the standings, but a big win over MI can take them to the top of the points table, whereas MI can enter the top three with a win in Mohali.
Before the big game starts, here's a look at the three player battles that may decide the fate of both teams in Match 46 of IPL 2023.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav vs Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh played a massive role in Punjab Kings' previous win over the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023. The left-arm pacer scalped four wickets, including the wicket of a well-set Suryakumar Yadav, to help the Kings defeat Mumbai on their home soil.
Yadav had never lost his wicket to Singh before that game. The right-handed batter will aim to tackle the left-arm pacer better in tonight's match. Overall, Yadav has scored 26 runs off 22 balls against Singh in the IPL.
#2 Liam Livingstone vs Piyush Chawla
Liam Livingstone is yet to set the stage on fire in IPL 2023. The PBKS all-rounder arrived late and struggled in the first few matches. However, he showed glimpses of form in the previous game against the Chennai Super Kings.
If Livingstone gets going, he can single-handedly win the game for PBKS. MI will hope that their veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla dismisses Livingstone once again. In the previous match between MI and PBKS, Chawla rattled Livingstone's stumps when he was on 10.
#3 Ishan Kishan vs Kagiso Rabada
Ishan Kishan and Kagiso Rabada have been quite inconsistent in IPL 2023 so far. Both players are enormously talented and have performed brilliantly in the past, but are yet to get going this season.
The two players will go head-to-head in the powerplay of MI's innings. Kishan has a fantastic record against Rabada in the IPL as he has scored 58 runs off 33 balls against him at a strike rate of more than 175. It will be interesting to see if he can continue in the same way tonight.