PBKS vs KKR Playing XI Prediction, IPL Fantasy Cricket Tips, Dream XI, Pitch Report & Injury Updates For Match 2 of IPL 2023
On Saturday, April 1, 2023, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) will play against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, marking the second game of the IPL 2023 season. Shikhar Dhawan, who has been appointed as the new captain of the Kings, will lead the team in their upcoming match. Dhawan’s appointment makes him the 14th captain of the team since the inception of the IPL in 2008.
Before the mini-auction last year, the Kings released nine players from their roster, including former captain Mayank Agarwal, Odean Smith, and Sandeep Sharma. During the auction, they acquired six new players to bolster their team’s composition. The Kings paid a whopping INR 18.5 crores to acquire the services of Sam Curran, making him the most expensive player in the auction’s history.
However, the Kings will be without the services of Jonny Bairstow for the upcoming season, as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) did not issue him a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Bairstow was an integral part of the team last year, scoring over 250 runs for the franchise. In his place, the Kings have roped in Matthew Short, who was the second-highest run-scorer in the BBL 2022-23 season.
Last season, the Knight Riders managed to secure only six victories from 14 games, landing them in the seventh spot. Unfortunately, their skipper Shreyas Iyer will be absent for the first few games of the upcoming season, leaving Nitish Rana to temporarily lead the team. Prior to the mini-auction, the team opted to retain only 14 players and released 15. Additionally, they made several trades, acquiring Shardul Thakur from the Delhi Capitals, Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from the Gujarat Titans. During the auction, they made some noteworthy purchases by acquiring David Wiese, Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das for their base price. They also successfully bought N Jagadeesan for INR 90 lakh, which is above his base price of INR 50 lakh.
PBKS vs KKR Head to Head Record:
| Teams | Matches Played | Won | Lost |
| Punjab Kings | 30 | 10 | 20 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 30 | 20 | 10 |
PBKS vs KKR Match 2 PROBABLE PLAYING XI
Punjab Kings
Shikhar Dhawan(C), Shahrukh Khan, B Rajapaksa, Sikandar Raza, SM Curran, R Dhawan, MW Short, JM Sharma, Harpreet Brar, RD Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
BENCH : JM Bairstow, P Simran Singh, Harpreet Singh, A Taide, Shivam Singh, LS Livingstone, Rajangad Bawa, Mohit Rathee, Baltej Singh, K Rabada, Nathan Ellis, Vidhwath Kaverappa
Kolkata Knight Riders
RK Singh, N Rana(C), VR Iyer, AD Russell, SP Narine, Narayan Jagadeesan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shardul Thakur, LH Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy, UT Yadav
BENCH : S Iyer, Mandeep Singh, Liton Das, AS Roy, Shakib Al Hasan, D Wiese, Vaibhav Arora, H Rana, K Khejroliya, Tim Southee, Suyash Sharma
| PBKS | KKR |
| Shikhar Dhawan(C) | Nitish Rana(C) |
| Shahrukh Khan | Rinku Singh |
| Rishi Dhawan | Rahmanullah Gurbaz/Liton Das |
| Sam Curran | Venkatesh Iyer |
| Arshdeep Singh | Mandeep Singh |
| Kagiso Rabada | Andre Russell |
| Bhanuka Rajapaksa | Anukul Roy |
| Rahul Chahar | Sunil Narine |
| Sikandar Raza | Varun Chakaravarthy |
| Harpreet Brar | Shardul Thakur |
| Raj Angad Bawa | Umesh Yadav |
PBKS vs KKR Match 2 INJURY AND AVAILABILITY NEWS
Unfortunately, the Kolkata Knight Riders will have to do without the services of Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan in their upcoming game. Similarly, the Punjab Kings will be missing the skills of Liam Livingstone and Kagiso Rabada as they will not feature in the playing eleven.
Regrettably, Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan won’t be able to take part in the forthcoming match for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Likewise, Liam Livingstone and Kagiso Rabada won’t be joining the Punjab Kings’ playing 11, depriving them of their talents.
PBKS vs KKR Match 2 WEATHER REPORT
Light Rain
PBKS vs KKR Match 2 WIN PREDICTION
Kolkata Knight Riders
PBKS vs KKR Match 2 PITCH CONDITION
Bowling
PBKS vs KKR Match 2 AVG 1ST INNING SCORE
140
PBKS vs KKR Match 2 PITCH REPORT
The renowned Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium located in Mohali has had the privilege of hosting a grand total of 55 IPL games up to this point. Out of these matches, the team that batted first was able to triumph in 24 encounters, while the team that batted second emerged victorious in 31 matches at this particular venue.
In the last five T20 games played here, the average score achieved by the team batting first has been 140 runs. It is worth noting that the pitch is expected to offer considerable assistance to the bowlers throughout the entire duration of the match, indicating that this could be a closely contested affair.
| Average Runs Per Wicket | 28.46 |
| Average Runs Per Over | 8.38 |
| Average 1st Inning Report | 165 runs |
| Average 2nd Inning Report | 180 runs |
| Winning percentage of batting first | 57% |
| Winning percentage of batting second | 43% |
PBKS vs KKR Dream11 Prediction 2023 And Fantasy Tips:
To create a Dream11 team, focus on essential points such as selecting players with high selection percentages and outstanding recent performances. Including power hitters and death-over specialists is vital, who are essential in T20 Format games. Remember to include them in your team.
KKR vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction Must have Picks:
Choose the player with the highest selection percentage, as they are most likely to perform well on the match day.
Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Shikhar Dhawan, Sikandar Raza
PBKS vs KKR 2023 Differential Picks:
A differential player is a player who has the lowest selection percentage and the highest chances to perform.
Odeon Smith, Sikandar Raza, Varun Chakarvarthy
PBKS vs KKR Captaincy Picks and Vice Captaincy picks:
In the IPL, it’s best to make the captain someone good at batting, bowling, and fielding so that you can earn the most fantasy points.
Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sikandar Raza, Shikhar Dhawan, .
PBKS vs KKR Dream Team11 Today for Small League :
PBKS vs KKR Dream Team Today for Grand League :
DISCLAIMER: This team is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.
Who will win Today Match KKR vs PBKS?
When considering the head-to-head records of KKR vs PBKS, it is evident that the Kolkata Knight Riders have had a dominant run. However, in the current season, the Punjab Kings seem to possess greater strength than the Kolkata Knight Riders. Furthermore, as the match is taking place on Punjab’s home ground, they may have a slight advantage, increasing the likelihood of a victory for the Punjab Kings. Therefore, it seems probable that the Punjab Kings will win.
