Punjab bank on aggressive batters
- KKR and Punjab have new skippers
- Can KKR new ball bowlers turn the tide?
KKR will be led by Nitish Rana with Shreyas Iyer absent, and that is not just a hit on their leadership team, but also a significant dent to their already questionable batting line-up. This could be the tip of the iceberg that sees their season take a tumble. KKR have odds of 1.98 to beat Punjab Kings with a lot hinging on their pace attack.
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Punjab Kings, meanwhile, have a new skipper of their own in Shikhar Dhawan, who has quite a lot to prove with the bat after being discarded from the Indian team. With Jonny Bairstow absent and Liam Livingstone doubtful, Punjab aren’t at full strength either. Punjab Kings have odds of 1.80 to beat KKR in their first game of IPL 2023.
Head-to-head record, PBKS v KKR
KKR have won 20 of the 30 head-to-head matches between these teams. The record is closer at the PCA Mohali with KKR winning four and Punjab Kings winning three games. The head-to-head record is more equal in recent times with both teams winning one game apiece in each of the last three seasons.
Read more about KKR v PBKS Head-to-Head record
Toss prediction
Nitish Rana will want to bowl first if he wins the toss, the odds of which are at 1.90 . KKR have Tim Southee and Umesh Yadav to exploit any swing available early on at the Mohali stadium.
Win probability
Punjab Kings have a well-rounded team with terrific batting resources and a complete bowling attack. They also strike a good balance with their right mix of all-rounders. They have odds of 1.80 to win this game.
Average score
The conditions in Mohali are likely to aid quick run-scoring, especially on a new pitch at the start of the season in a day game. The average first innings score here is 165 with it going down to 150 in the second innings.
Pitch and conditions
The pitch is likely to aid pace bowlers early on with the fresh pitch offering movement and good bounce, something the Mohali is known for.
Players to keep an eye on…
PBKS Predicted playing XI:
Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sikandar Raza, Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Rishi Dhawan, Sam Curran, Nathan Ellis, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar.
KKR Predicted playing XI:
N Jagadeesan (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Nitish Rana (c), Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy
Sam Curran: The England all-rounder will be a big part of the squad this time and could play a key role with bat and ball. The conditions at Mohali should also suit his left-arm swing bowling.
Andre Russell: A lot of KKR’s hopes this season, like the last one, hinge on Russell and his form. The West Indian will likely play a bigger role with the bat this year.
IPL 2023, Match 2 predictions
Based on all of the above factors, we predict that Punjab Kings will win the match.
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PBKS v KKR Betting tips
Apart from betting on the Kings to win the match, check our other recommended bet about Punjab Kings’ top bowler:
Arshdeep Singh is a wicket-taker with the new ball and in the death overs. Back Arshdeep at 3.20 to be Punjab Kings’ top bowler!
