Rishi Dhawan in for Kagiso Rabada as Punjab Kings hope to sneak into playoffs: PBKS' predicted XI vs RR in IPL 2023

Rishi Dhawan is expected to be included instead of Kagiso Rabada as PBKS take on RR in IPL 2023. Here is their predicted XI.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) will take on the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their final game of the season in the IPL 2023 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium in Dharamsala on May 19. The Shikhar Dhawan-led team lost to DC in their last game in Dharamsala. They need to win their final game and need other results to go in their favour to have any chance of qualifying for the playoffs, but they have the worst net run-rate out of all the teams vying for the playoff spots, so their chances of making it are slim at best.

Rishi Dhawan celebrates a wicket for PBKS. (IPL Twitter)

PBKS have won six and lost seven of their thirteen matches in the ongoing IPL season. The Trevor Bayliss-coached outfit defeated Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals in their opening two matches before suffering two losses against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans in subsequent games. Then PBKS defeated LSG in a hard-fought encounter by two wickets in Lucknow. PBKS then lost to RCB in Mohali but bounced back strongly to defeat MI at the Wankhede.

PBKS then suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of LSG. Punjab Kings got back to winning ways as they beat Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Then they lost consecutive games to MI and KKR. Then PBKS won one and lost one in the double header with DC. Last time out, the PBKS bowlers were hit all over the park as DC scored 213/2. Liam Livingston scored 94 and PBKS fought till the end but they fell short of the target by 15 runs.

Captain Shikhar Dhawan has scored 356 runs in ten innings at a strike rate of 143 so far this season. Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma have scored 356 and 265 runs so far respectively. Sam Curran has chipped in with 227 runs having scored one half-century so far this season. Liam Livingston has also chipped in with 270 runs in eight innings since returning from injury. Sikandar Raza, Atharva Taide and Matt Short have also played some important knocks this season.

Arshdeep Singh has picked up 16 wickets this season, but has conceded more than nine runs an over. Nathan Ellis has chipped in with twelve wickets so far and has been Punjab’s best overseas bowler this season. Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar have chipped in with 21 wickets between them. Sam Curran has also picked up 9 wickets so far. Rishi Dhawan is expected to come into the side to replace Rabada for the final game of the season. Nathan Ellis is expected to be utilised as the Impact player if PBKS bowl in the second innings. Mohit Rathee, Harpreet Bhatia, Atharva Taide and Gurnoor Brar are also options for the Impact player role.

Here’s PBKS’ predicted XI vs RCB:

Openers: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh.

Top and middle order: Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Atharva Taide.

All-rounders: Sam Curran, Liam Livingston.

Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Rishi Dhawan.

Impact Player: Mohit Rathee, Harpreet Bhatia, Atharva Taide and Gurnoor Brar are the Impact Player options for PBKS.