RR vs PBKS, Match 8 of IPL 2023: Punjab Kings Player Availability & Probable Playing XI

Punjab Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening match by 7 runs (DLS method). Now Shikhar Dhawan and his side will move to the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, Assam for their second match of the season against the last year’s runners-up Rajasthan Royals.

RR vs PBKS Team News: Kagiso Rabada to join the squad

Punjab Kings will be bolstered by the return of Kagiso Rabada. The Proteas’ pacer is Punjab Kings’ spearhead and the leader of the attack. He didn’t feature in PBKS’ opening game due to national commitment, however, with the ODI series against Netherlands done and dusted, Rabada will be joining the squad and get into the playing 11 straight away replacing Nathan Ellis.

Liam Livingstone yet to join the squad due to injury

Jonny Bairstow is already out of this year’s IPL due to an injury he sustained last year before the T20 World Cup. The Englishmen has been already replaced by Australia’s domestic right-hand batter Matthew Short. On the other hand, another Englishmen the swashbuckling Liam Livingstone is still recovering from his injury but will be on his way to India to join PBKS camp soon.

Predicted PBKS playing 11

1. Prabhsimran Singh
2. Shikhar Dhawan (C)
3. Bhanuka Rajapaksa
4. Jitesh Sharma (wk)
5. Sikandar Raza
6. Sam Curran
7. Shahrukh Khan
8. Kagiso Rabada
9. Harpreet Brar
10. Arshdeep Singh
11. Rahul Chahar

Skipper Shikhar Dhawan will be opening the innings along with Prabhsimran Singh.
Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa will bat at no 3 followed by the likes of Jitesh Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, and Shahrukh Khan.
Talking about the impact player options, we can see Rishi Dhawan, Raj Bawa, Matthew Short, Atharva Taide among others.
Rishi Dhawan came in as an impact player in the last game replacing Bhanuka Rajapksa. He bowled a solitary over and gave away 15 runs. It would be interesting to see if
In the bowling unit, the onus would be on Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar and the returning Kagiso Rabada.