On Friday at the Dharamshala, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will play in game 66 of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With five victories and as many losses, Punjab has underperformed during the IPL 2022 and is currently ranked eighth.

Sixth-placed Rajasthan has suffered two losses in their last two contests, as well. They have won six and lost seven of their thirteen games.

The Gujarat Titans (GT) were defeated by PBKS by eight wickets in their most recent match, so they will enter this one with some confidence. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and RR played a dismal game. While batting first, they only made 152 and were routed by seven wickets.

Here are the player encounters from the PBKS vs RR match

1. Trent Boult vs Shikhar Dhawan: Shikhar Dhawan, the PBKS opener, scored a fantastic fifty in the previous game. This season, he has been fired a few odd times. His overall rhythm has been fantastic though. Dhawan’s teams typically come out on top when they get off to a strong start. Even in the T20 format, he remains rock-steady.

To gain the upper hand in the struggle, RR will need to get rid of him quickly. Since his injury-related return, Trent Boult hasn’t been the same. He will be required to step up his game though, as things are getting tight. Can he get a snorter against Dhawan right away?

2. Jos Buttler vs Sandeep Sharma: For RR in the IPL 2022, Jos Buttler was also a one-man batting army. In the previous game, he struggled, and the team’s worst worries came true when he was dismissed early. RR will want Buttler to succeed as often as he can, despite the fact that the situation is not ideal. He will prepare the situation for his side if he gets going.

With the exception of one poor over, Sandeep Sharma has been exceptional for PBKS in terms of economy. He only conceded 17 runs in his four overs against Gujarat. His role will be to put Buttler down. If he does that, he or the other bowlers might receive a reward.

3. Yuzvendra Chahal vs Bhanuka Rajapaksa: The batting has gained some much-needed stability as a result of Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s return to the playing XI. He savoured his way to 40 off 28 balls in the previous game as well. By scoring runs, Rajapaksa is relieving pressure off other batters like Dhawan.

He should continue to attack in his current role. Yuzvendra Chahal recently gave a couple of underwhelming performances. It hasn’t helped RR’s situation that his batting has struggled. Chahal, however, is eager to make a difference in the game. He’ll face off against Rajapaksa. How will the leggie react?

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