IPL 2023: Match 31, Punjab Kings (PBKS) Predicted Playing 11 against Mumbai Indians

Punjab Kings (PBKS) will look to return to winning ways in their next match against the in-form Mumbai Indians (MI). In their previous game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the Kings disappointed their supporters with their horrendous batting show, while following a decent total of 175. 

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However, they will shrug off their last match’s failure and will back themselves to pocket the match against MI at the Wankhede Stadium. Before the next game, there are high chances of captain Shikhar Dhawan not making it to the playing XI again due to a shoulder injury he picked up in the match against the defending champions, Gujarat Titans (GT).

Currently, Punjab Kings are standing in the seventh position in the IPL points table 2023 with three wins in six matches. The contest against MI will be crucial for them as they will look forward to strengthening their position in the tournament with a victory against the five-time IPL champions.

Here’s Punjab Kings’ predicted XI against Mumbai Indians 

Openers: Atharva Taide and Prabhsimran Singh

In the absence of the skipper Dhawan, Atharva Taide got two games but in both contests, he failed to turn up against bowlers with 0 and 4 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) respectively. With the high chances of Dhwan’s unavailability against MI, Taide could feature in the playing XI for one more time. This time, he will have to provide something solid with his bat.

Prabhsimran Singh gained his form in the match against RCB. Following the total of 175, the right-handed batter played a swift knock of 46 runs off just 30 deliveries. In the big match against the quality side MI, he will be expected to provide a fierce start to the team along with his opening partner Taide.

Middle-order: Matthew Short, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, and Jitesh Sharma (wk)

Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s injury opened the doors for the top-order Australia batter, Matthew Short, but so far, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations, scoring only 79 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 141.07. However, the team management might go with him in the next match and that could become an opportunity for Short to emerge as a match-winner for his team. 

Liam Livingstone played his first game of Indian Premier League 2023 against RCB but couldn’t produce a quality knock to help his team pull off the chase of 175. Going through his potential, loyal fans PBKS fans will want him to come heavily on bowlers. In 2022, the dashing England batter ended up as the second-leading run-getter for his IPL team with 437 runs in 14 games, at an exceptional strike rate of 182.08.

Despite the presence of Prabhsimran Singh, who could serve the team with his batting and wicketkeeping skills, the franchise is trusting Jitesh Sharma to keep wickets and add strength to their batting unit. However, the 29-year-old hasn’t justified his role, adding only 120 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 133.33. In the last match against Challengers, Sharma looked amazing with the bat with his 41 off 27. The innings will give him the confidence to perform well with the bat in further contests.

Shahrukh Khan is a vital cog in the PBKS squad as the team heavily banks on his explosive batting style to pile up runs at a great pace in the last stages of the matches. However, his failures are hurting the team, and looking at the current competition to qualify for the Playoffs, the PBKS management will want him to be consistent with his bat.

All-rounder: Sam Curran (c)

Sam Curran is holding the reins of the team in the absence of Dhawan. In his first game as a skipper, he led from the front with his 3/31 bowling figures in his four-over spell against LSG. The left-arm medium-fast bowler looked impressive against Challengers too as he delivered an economical spell to his team. Against MI, he will have to set an example as a captain by producing a top-notch all-round display to fetch a victory for his team.

Bowlers: Harpreet Brar, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Chahar, and Arshdeep Singh

Harpreet Brar showcased his excellence with the ball against RCB. Picking up the scalps of Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, he brought his team back into the game. Noting his ability, the stand-in captain Curran will want him to be economical and also sharpen his wicket-taking ability in the crucial matches coming ahead. 

Nathan Ellis showcased his best side with the ball against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Grabbing 4/30 figures in his four-over spell, he became the Player of the Match. After that game, his performance plummeted as the 28-year-old, failed to provide economical and wicket-taking spells to his team. Despite witnessing his poor numbers in the recent games, the medium pacer could get a spot in the playing XI due to his potential. 

Rahul Chahar’s thrifty spell against Challengers will boost his confidence to face another quality side MI. The leg-break bowler couldn’t pick up any wicket with the ball against Bangalore but splurged only 24 runs in his four-over spell. Against MI, Chahar’s spin-bowling pair with Harpreet will be important to pull off the game.

Arshdeep Singh has come out as a proven performer for PBKS again, this season. Till now, the left-arm pacer is the highest wicket-taker for his team, bagging nine wickets in six matches at an economy of 8.33. These numbers indicate that the speedster has done his job brilliantly. Singh will be seen again bolstering the pace attack with his captain Curran in the match at the Wankhede Stadium.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) Probable Playing XI:

Atharva Taide, Prabhsimran Singh, Matthew Short, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Punjab Kings (PBKS) Probable Impact Players:

Kagiso Rabada, Sikandar Raza, Raj Bawa, Vidwath Kaverappa, and Rishi Dhawan.