Picking a combined PBKS-MI playing XI for IPL 2024 ft. Kagiso Rabada, Rohit Sharma
Punjab Kings (PBKS) meet Mumbai Indians (MI) in match 33 of IPL 2024 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday, April 18. While PBKS are eighth in the points table with two points from six matches, MI are ninth. Mumbai have also won two of their six games, but are behind Punjab on net run rate.
In their previous match, PBKS went down to Rajasthan Royals by three wickets in Mullanpur. Punjab batted first, but managed only 147-8. RR were in a spot of bother in their chase, but Shimron Hetmyer (27* off 10) played a brilliant cameo to take his side past the finish line.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, took on Chennai Super Kings in their previous match at the Wankhede but came up second-best. Batting first, CSK put up a big total of 206-6 before restricting MI yo 186-6 despite Rohit Sharma's hundred.
In the head-to-head battle, MI have a slender 16-15 lead over PBKS. As the two teams prepare for battle on Thursday in Mullanpur, we pick a combined XI of both sides for IPL 2024:
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and Ishan Kishan (wk)
The Mumbai Indians duo of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan would open the batting in the combined PBKS-MI XI. Rohit would also lead the team.
The former Mumbai skipper has had an impressive IPL 2024 campaign, scoring 261 runs in six innings at an average of 52.20 and a strike rate of 167.31. Rohit struck a superb hundred against Chennai, albeit in a losing cause.
Kishan would partner Rohit at the top of the order and would also keep wickets. The left-hander has played some handy knocks for Mumbai Indians in the tournament. He contributed 42 against Delhi Capitals, 69 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and 23 against CSK.
Middle order/ All-rounders: Suryakumar Yadav, Liam Livingstone, Hardik Pandya, Sam Curran, and Shashank Singh
Suryakumar Yadav has had a mixed run for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 since joining the team after recovering from injury.
He has played three matches and has been dismissed without scoring twice. However, he clobbered 52 off 19 in the thumping win over RCB. Despite his patchy form, it's difficult to leave a match-winner like Suryakumar out of a combined T20 XI.
Liam Livingstone, Hardik Pandya and Sam Curran would be the all-rounders in the combined PBKS-MI XI for IPL 2024. Livingstone has made some useful contributions with the willow for Punjab in the competition. Against Rajasthan Royals, he got the wicket of Tanush Kotian.
MI skipper Pandya has also played some handy cameos. He clubbed 21* off six, slamming three sixes in the seven-wicket win over RCB. The all-rounder also claimed 2-43 with his medium pace against CSK, dismissing opposition skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell.
Meanwhile, Curran led PBKS in their last match against RR in Shikhar Dhawan's absence. Apart from some handy runs lower down the order, Curran has claimed eight wickets in six matches. In Punjab's last game against Rajasthan, he registered impressive figures of 2-25 and picked up a two-fer against Hyderabad.
Shashank Singh has done a fine job for Punjab Kings in the lower middle order. He famously clobbered 61* off 29 against Gujarat Titans and followed it up with 46* off 25 against Hyderabad. Shashank was dismissed cheaply against Rajasthan, so he will be keen to make amends.
Bowlers: Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah, Harpreet Brar, and Kagiso Rabada
MI's Gerald Coetzee and Jasprit Bumrah and PBKS' Kagiso Rabada would be a formidable pace trio in the combined XI. Coetzee has made a genuine impression in IPL 2024 with his pace and attitude. In six matches, he has claimed nine wickets at an average of 25.67.
Bumrah has been outstanding as always. In six matches for Mumbai Indians, he has picked up 10 wickets at an average of 14.60 and an economy rate of 6.08. The right-arm pacer was Player of the Match for his figures of 5-21 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Rabada has been among the few positives for PBKS in a rather disappointing IPL 2024 campaign. The South African fast bowler has nine scalps in six matches at an average of 21.22.
Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar would complete the playing XI. Although he hasn't taken a lot of wickets, he has chipped in with key scalps at crucial moments.