PBKS vs GT Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2024 match?
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have fought hard in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Even though they've lost five of their seven matches, their net run rate is only narrowly in the negatives.
But while PBKS haven't been blown away in any of their defeats, they haven't been able to clinch key moments in their contests and come out on the right side of the result. And as a result of that, they find themselves only one rung off the bottom spot.
The Gujarat Titans (GT) haven't fared much better, in terms of standing. Shubman Gill and company have six points to their name from seven matches and are placed eighth on the IPL 2024 points table.
Both teams have endured top-order collapses. And while Punjab have had Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma pull them out of a few holes, Gujarat haven't been able to rely on the likes of Rahul Tewatia.
PBKS will take heart from the fact that they managed to secure one of their two wins this season against GT. Shashank and Ashutosh were the heroes on that occasion in Ahmedabad, and since then, they've proved that their magic wasn't a flash in the pan.
GT, meanwhile, will look to derive inspiration from their performances under pressure over the years. Gill has made it a point to mention that his side won't give in easily, and with playoff qualification at stake, he will make sure that they put their best foot forward.
Which team will return to winning ways on Sunday?
IPL 2024, PBKS vs GT Win Probability: Struggling teams seek improvement
On the whole, despite their shortcomings, PBKS have been the better side in IPL 2024. Despite dealing with injuries to Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone, the Kings have managed to bring themselves close to victories on almost all occasions.
The key to Punjab's victory is rather simple. They need to get Shubman Gill out early, with the GT captain being his team's leading run-scorer and principal pillar of the batting unit. Without Gill anchoring the innings, there doesn't seem to be enough stability in the middle order to pull Gujarat to a win.
PBKS could also use the coin falling in their favor. GT love chasing, and batting them bat first could work well for the home side. Mullanpur hasn't been an outright belter, but it has assisted the quicks to a decent extent, and Punjab have the bowlers to send Gill back to the hut early.
Both teams are evenly matched, so picking a winner is difficult. Based on how the teams have fared so far and how their strengths line up against each other, PBKS might be the slight favorites.
Prediction: PBKS to win Match 37 of IPL 2024.