On Friday, May 19, Punjab Kings (PBKS) will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match number 66 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. This is the final league-stage game for both clubs in the competition, and it is a must-win situation.
Punjab Kings have been inconsistent in IPL 2023, with another dismal season. They started their season with narrow wins over Kolkata Knight Riders (seven runs – D/L method) and Rajasthan Royals (five runs). However, their fortunes have mainly declined since then.
PBKS has only won two of its last six IPL 2023 matches. When they defeated the Delhi Capitals (DC) by 31 runs on the road, it fueled hopes of a comeback. However, they were defeated by the same opponents by 15 runs in their most recent match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. The defeat effectively ended their chances of making the playoffs.
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PBKS’s IPL 2023 qualification
Punjab Kings are ninth in the points chart after 65 league games in IPL 2023, with 12 points from 13 games. They also have a disappointing net run rate of -0.308.
If Punjab defeats Rajasthan in their final league match, they will finish with 14 points, but because to their poor net rate, they will be unlikely to finish in the top four when the league stage concludes.
To have even a remote chance of qualifying, PBKS must thrash RR by a massive margin and then pray that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) lose their final league games by such large margins that their net run rates fall below those of PBKS.
That doesn’t seem like a feasible prospect, at least not in the case of RCB, which has a net run rate of +0.180. MI, on the other hand, has a -0.128 net run rate.
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If Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their last league game on May 20, they would also finish with 14 points. Even with a great win, they are unlikely to climb into the top four with a net run rate of -0.256.
IPL 2023: Remaining league fixtures
May 19: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, 66th Match, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, 7:30 PM (IST)
May 20: Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings, 67th Match, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, 3:30 PM (IST)
May 20: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, 68th Match, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, 7:30 PM (IST)
May 21: Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 69th Match, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, 3:30 PM (IST)
Also Read: IPL 2023 Playoff Possibilities: How can RR still qualify for the playoffs? (cricfiles.com)
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