Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Punjab Kings, PBKS Playing 11 vs RCB (Predicted), IPL 2022, Match 60, RCB vs PBKS

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Punjab Kings, PBKS Playing 11 vs RCB (Predicted), IPL 2022, Match 60, RCB vs PBKS. The Punjab Kings have their task cut out as they take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 60th game of the Indian Premier League 2022 on 13th May 2022 at 7:30 pm in Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, India.

The Kings come here with a loss against the Rajasthan Royals where the bowling attack let them down. The Royal Challengers Bangalore are looking in good form after their comprehensive win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last game.

The Punjab Kings have the last chance to keep their hopes alive for a berth in the next round. The side would be under immense pressure playing this game after their heartbreaking loss in the last game. The Royal Challengers Bangalore have shaped up well in the last two games and have nearly booked a berth in the next playoffs round. Both sides have strong batting line-ups and this game is expected to go down the wire.

Punjab Kings’ Mayank Agarwal would be upset with the poor performance of his bowlers in the last game against the Rajasthan Royals where they failed to defend a total of 189 runs losing the game by 6 wickets. With this loss, the side has dropped to the 8th position on the points table. They must win this game to keep their hopes alive for a berth in the next round. They had defeated RCB earlier in the season and the Punjab Kings skipper would like his side to take inspiration from those wins.

Shikhar Dhawan has looked in excellent form and he will need to set up a strong opening wicket stand with Jonny Bairstow. Mayank Agarwal must steer the middle order with Jitesh Sharma and Bhanuka Rajapaksa and push the score up in the middle overs. Liam Livingstone is a big hitter of the ball, and the side would expect quick runs from him and Rishi Dhawan down the order.

Punjab Kings’ bowling attack would face the heat heading into this game and good spells would be needed from pacers Sandeep Sharma and Kagiso Rabada with the new ball. Pacer Arshdeep Singh has been a consistent performer for the team and he will have an important role in this game. It is high time spinner Rahul Chahar delivers in the middle overs. Rishi Dhawan and Liam Livingstone have to support the main bowlers in this game.

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Punjab Kings, PBKS Playing 11 vs RCB (Predicted), IPL 2022, Match 60, RCB vs PBKS

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan comes to a franchise after having scored almost 1200 runs for Delhi across four seasons. Punjab Kings bought him for Rs. 8.25 crores during the auction. Last year, Shikhar Dhawan gave a magnificent batting show playing for Delhi Capitals. He scored 587 runs in 16 games in IPL 2021.

He is the second-highest run-getter in the history of the IPL after Virat Kohli. He has scored 381 runs in 11 IPL 2022 games averaging 42.33 with 3 fifties and is Punjab’s leading run-getter this season.

Mayank Agarwal

Appointed as captain of the side, Mayank Agarwal has a lot of experienced players to bank upon. He has amassed only 176 runs in 10 IPL 2022 games averaging a mere 19.56 but scored his first fifty (52) against MI and is the team’s 4th highest scorer.

Mayank Agarwal gave a good batting show last season. He scored 441 runs in 12 IPL 2021 games at an average of 40.09. He had an eventful 2020 season where he scored a spectacular ton against the Rajasthan Royals amassing 424 runs in 11 games. He increased his run tally to 441 runs in the following season and PBKS will want their skipper to continue this trend and score big in the next games.

Jonny Bairstow

In his short IPL career, Jonny Bairstow has notched up as many as 7 fifties and 1 hundred in the IPL.  Tenacious England wicketkeeper-batsman was a new entrant to the IPL who was bought for Rs. 1.5 crore by the SRH team management for the 2019 season.

Jonny Bairstow, a member of England’s 2019 World Cup-winning squad, is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball and can win the matches for his team on his own. Punjab Kings brought him on board for INR 6.75 Crore and Jonny Bairstow, like he has done a number of times, will be out to take the opposition by storm while playing for PBKS. He has scored only 136 runs in 8 innings averaging a mere 17 in IPL 2022 and would look to amend his stats. He may open again but may also be dropped.

Liam Livingstone

Liam Livingstone should be the middle-order batsman for the team. In last season’s IPL 2021, he opted out of the tournament due to bubble issues.  While his IPL stint was with Rajasthan Royals in 2019, he was one of the biggest Punjab Kings signings – INR 11.50 Cr – during the TATA IPL 2022 auction.

He has scored 315 runs so far in 11 IPL 2022 games averaging 31.5 at an impressive strike rate of 184.21. His 3 wickets came at an average of 50. He is PBKS’ 2nd highest run-getter.

Jitesh Sharma (wk)

The Vidarbha wicketkeeper-batter was bought by the PBKS for INR 20 Lac. He has scored 162 runs from 7 IPL 2022 innings averaging 32.4. His best is an unbeaten 38. The likes of batters and all-rounders Prabhsimran Singh, Odean Smith, Benny Howell, Raj Angad Bawa, and Shahrukh Khan are warming the bench and may be considered if Punjab Kins management decides to alter the composition of the playing XI.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa

The Sri Lanka left-handed batter was brought on board for INR 50 Lac. Bhanuka Rajapaksa is known for his ability to strike big with the bat and PBKS will want him to live up to that reputation. He has scored 201 runs in 7 IPL 2022 matches averaging 28.71 at an impressive strike rate of 166.11 and is Punjab’s 3rd highest run-getter this season.

Rishi Dhawan

Rishi Dhawan has led from the front for Himachal Pradesh. The all-rounder was his team’s leading run-getter and wicket-taker during their triumphant Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign earlier this year and had an impressive Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season with the ball.

An experienced campaigner, Rishi Dhawan, will be out to set the stage on fire for Punjab Kings in the IPL 2022. His last IPL match came in 2016 before the IPL 2022 game against CSK. He picked 2 scalps in the match against CSK playing with protective gear. In IPL 2022, he has scored 26 runs and picked 4 scalps in as many games averaging 25.75 with the ball in hand.

Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm pacer was one of the only two players retained by Punjab Kings. Arshdeep Singh had a memorable IPL 2021 taking a bagful of wickets and the franchise certainly sees him as a future prospect. It is this season that he has to repay the faith the franchise has placed in him.

Last season, he picked 18 wickets in 12 games for the team at an impressive average of 19.0. He has picked 6 scalps in 11 IPL 2022 games averaging 49.33.

Kagiso Rabada

With his experience and pace strength, Kagiso Rabada will be a crucial bowler for the team in IPL 2022. Last season, he was part of the Delhi Capitals and scalped 15 wickets in 15 games. Punjab Kings bought him for Rs. 9.25 crores during the auction.

He was IPL 2020’s leading wicket-taker (purple cap winner). He didn’t play the first game of IPL 2022 for being in quarantine. He had picked 18 scalps so far in IPL 2022 playing 10 games and averaging an impressive 17.94 and is Punjab’s leading wicket-taker this season.

Rahul Chahar

Rahul Chahar was picked by Punjab Kings for Rs. 5.25 crores during the IPL 2022 mega auction. Playing for Mumbai Indians last season, the right-arm spinner scalped 13 wickets in 11 games in IPL 2021. In IPL 2022, he has picked 12 scalps in 11 games averaging 25.33 and is Punjab Kings’ 2nd highest wicket-taker.

Sandeep Sharma

Sandeep Sharma, who played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2021 picked only 3 scalps in 7 games in IPL 2021 averaging 67.66. In IPL 2022, he has played 5 games and picked 2 wickets averaging 76.5.  The pacer, who made his first-class debut in 2011 had earned a contract with the Kings XI Punjab – now Punjab Kings – ahead of IPL 2013.

He was bought back by the franchise in the 2014 Auction. He has earned high praise from experts for his ability to swing the ball and has played a key role for his state side, Punjab. While he then went on to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad, he is back to a side where it all started for him in the IPL. The likes of pacers Ishan Porel, Nathan Ellis, or Vaibhav Arora may also get a game in his place.