IPL 2023: Predicting 3 bowlers who could pick up the most wickets in today's PBKS vs DC clash

Match 64 of the ongoing IPL 2023 will see the Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Wednesday, May 17.

Both franchises played their last league game against each other when PBKS defeated the home team in Delhi.

The Shikhar Dhawan-led side have played 12 games with six wins and as many losses under their belt. With 12 points and an NRR of -0.268, they are placed in the eighth position on the table. They will be in a desperate hunt for a win in order to stay in the race for the playoffs.

Delhi, meanwhile, are languishing at the bottom of the standings with just eight points after 12 games. They are already out of the competition but will look to end their campaign on a high.

The picturesque Dharamsala stadium will host tonight's game where faster bowlers are expected to have their say. However, with the short boundaries, a well-balanced encounter might be on the cards between the two departments.

As DC and PBKS gear up to face each other in IPL 2023, it is important to consider the top bowlers who could make a significant impact in the upcoming match.

On that note, let's take a shot at three bowlers who could pick up the most wickets in today's match between PBKS and DC.

#3 Arshdeep Singh - PBKS

Arshdeep Singh for Punjab Kings. [IPLT20]

One of India's rising stars, Arshdeep Singh is known for generating enough swing with the new ball. Hence he could be vital for PBKS in Dharamsala, where pacers have bagged 14 out of 17 wickets that fell in the last two T20s hosted by the venue.

Although he hasn't set the stage alight after his match-winning spell of 4/29 against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede, he delivered brilliant yorkers in the last game against DC. Bowling the 17th and the 19th over, the left-arm pacer leaked just seven runs in those overs and showed why is a bowler for all phases of the game.

With Sam Curran not being in his best of forms, Arshdeep's role will be even more vital and PBKS will hope that he wreaks havoc in Dharamsala tonight.

#2 Axar Patel - DC

Inarguably the Delhi Capitals' best player this season, Axar Patel has done extremely well in IPL 2023. While he has been crucial down the order with the bat, the left-arm spinner also performs an indispensable role with his bowling.

With his strict and deft left-arm spin, Axar is able to strangle the opposition, especially in the middle phase of an innings. Among bowlers who have bowled over 15 overs between overs 7-15 this season, Axar has the best economy rate (6.3) in the league.

Moreover, his record against his former franchise, PBKS has been decent as well. Across seven innings against Punjab, Axar has bagged 10 wickets at a great average of 13.5.

Axar will be looking to assert himself against the PBKS middle-order batters, including Liam Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, and Shahrukh Khan, and gain an upper hand for DC tonight.

#1 Harpreet Brar - PBKS

Harpreet Brar celebrating vs DC [IPLT20]

Harpreet Brar desolated the DC batting unit in the previous outing and turned the game in Punjab's favor.

He single-handedly demolished the opposition batters and dismissed all four of David Warner, Phil Salt, Rilee Rossouw, and Manish Pandey to claim his career-best 4/30 in Delhi.

Brar, who will look to replicate his heroics on Wednesday, will also be having a psychological advantage over the batting group of DC, who have lost a total of 37 wickets against spin in IPL 2023, the most by any franchise this season.

Moreover, almost 79 percent of those wickets against spin have come against the tweakers who turn the ball away from the right-handers and Brar is one such player who could turn out to be DC's nemesis once again tonight.