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Plagued by injuries and unavailability of a few foreign players, both Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders would still look to put their best foot forward as they lock horns in their opening IPL encounter in Mohali on Saturday. These are the two franchises, which over the years have flattered to deceive. Inconsistency in team selections seemed to have also affected the them badly.
After finishing at the sixth place in the points table last season, Punjab Kings are all set to begin their campaign for the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday. Led by the veteran opening batter Shikhar Dhawan, the Kings will be guided by World Cup winning coach Trevor Bayliss, as they eye their maiden IPL title. During the auctions, PBKS bought England all-rounder Sam Curran for a whopping total of Rs 18.50 crore and made him the costliest buy in IPL history.
England's power-hitter Liam Livingstone will miss the opening game for Punjab Kings in the IPL as he is yet to get a fitness clearance from the ECB after recovering from a knee injury he suffered in December. Punjab Kings open their IPL campaign against KKR at home on April 1. Livingstone, who is a key member of the Punjab Kings squad for his all-round abilities, has not played competitive cricket since picking up the knee injury on his Test debut in Pakistan in December. The 29-year-old had also suffered an ankle injury during the Hundred competition at home last year.
New Punjab Kings head coach Trevor Bayliss has listed out death overs batting and wickets in the middle overs as the two key areas of improvement for the team aiming to end its title drought in the IPL. Punjab finished an underwhelming sixth in the previous four editions with their only final appearance coming way back in 2014. Bayliss, a World Cup winning coach who also guided KKR to two IPL trophies, is expected to turn an inconsistent Punjab into a consistent outfit.
Having found guilty of chopping and changing far too many times, Punjab Kings will be relying on World Cup winning coach Trevor Bayliss and new skipper Shikhar Dhawan to shed their perennial underachievers tag this IPL season. The reputed Australian coach knows a thing or two about winning, having guided England to the 2019 ODI World Cup and KKR to titles in 2012 and 2014. Punjab Kings owners have roped him in with the sole objective of lifting the elusive IPL trophy.
Prolific England batter Jonny Bairstow will miss the entire IPL this year as his cricket board refused to grant him No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in the high-profile T20 league beginning on March 31, according to a report. The 33-year-old Bairstow is recovering from a leg injury he sustained in September last year. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), however, cleared all-rounder Liam Livingstone, who is coming back after recovering from his knee and ankle injuries, to play in the IPL. Punjab Kings had bought Livingstone and Bairstow for Rs 11.50 crores and Rs 6.75 crores respectively during the IPL auction.
Chennai Super Kings splurged a whopping Rs 16.25 to buy Stokes in IPL auction in December but they won't be able to have his services for the entire season. Stokes also missed the last two editions of the cash-rich league due to various reasons.Stokes made it clear that he will leave IPL early to lead his side in the one-off Ireland Test and prepare for the Ashes series.The IPL final is set to be played on May 28, four days before the one-off Ireland Test at Lord's on June 1, while the marquee Ashes series against Australia will begin on June 16.
England Test skipper Ben Stokes is set to leave IPL early to lead his side in the one-off Ireland Test and prepare for the Ashes series. The IPL final is set to be played on May 28, four days before the one-off Ireland Test at Lord's on June 1, while the marquee Ashes series against Australia will begin on June 16. Stokes, who missed the last two editions of the cash-rich league due to various reasons, was bought by four-time champions Chennai Super Kings for a whopping Rs 16.25 crore in IPL auction in December.