To maintain their chances of making the IPL 2023 Playoffs, Punjab Kings must defeat Delhi Capitals on Tuesday, May 15.
The Kings are currently ranked eighth in the league, but if they defeat the Delhi Capitals, they could rise as high as third. The bottom-placed Capitals are already eliminated from the competition.
The last time these two teams faced off, PBKS prevailed by 31 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The teams will showcase some elite batters.
Let’s look at three batters who can contribute significantly to the match’s run total.
Shikhar Dhawan (PBKS): This season, Punjab Kings captain Shikhar Dhawan has led the team from the front. The southpaw is by far their leading run-scorer this year, despite a brief injury setback.
Dhawan has so far scored 356 runs in 9 innings. One of their key batters, when they play the Capitals, is the 37-year-old, who has already amassed three hundred.
David Warner (DC): The Delhi Capitals’ batting has been led by their captain David Warner. They have benefited greatly from the Australian veteran, but their failure was ultimately due to a concerted effort from the other batters.
Warner has performed admirably, but the DC captain has only partially displayed his devastating form, scoring 384 runs in 12 games. And if they want to gain anything from Tuesday’s PBKS tie, he will be absolutely essential.
Liam Livingstone (PBKS): Liam Livingstone has had a disappointing season with Punjab Kings. With the exception of a stellar 82, he has only managed 94 runs in the other 6 innings and has fallen short of expectations.
The match-winning batter, however, has the capacity to end the game in a matter of overs. A lot will be expected of the 29-year-old as PBKS gets ready for a tie they must win. And if Livingstone makes it through about 20 to 25 balls, there will be carnage.
