On Thursday, April 13, Punjab Kings (PBKS) and defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) will face off in Match No. 18 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
Both clubs have had a similar start to their current season. PBKS won their first two games against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) before falling to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). They are sixth in the rankings with four points and a net run rate of -0.281.
GT began their season by winning their first two games. On the first night, they defeated the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and subsequently they overcame the Delhi Capitals (DC). Regular skipper Hardik Pandya missed the last game, in which his team lost heartbreakingly to KKR on the penultimate delivery of the match thanks to Rinku Singh’s heroics.
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Following defeats in their previous meetings, both teams will look to get back on track and win their third game.
The next match will also provide both sides with the opportunity to shatter a number of records.
On that topic, let’s take a look at three potential records that might be broken in this highly anticipated match.
1 Shikhar Dhawan could become only the second-ever batter to score 50 fifties in IPL
Shikhar Dhawan, one of the finest Indian hitters in IPL history, has been on fire this season. With 225 runs in three games, the southpaw is currently the leading run-scorer. He has only been fired once.
Dhawan is on the verge of becoming only the second player in IPL history, after David Warner, to amass 50 half-centuries.
Given his recent form, it would not be surprising if Dhawan manages to elevate his bat against GT and become the first Indian to do so.
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2 Wriddhiman Saha and David Miller could complete 2500 IPL runs
Wriddhiman Saha and David Miller are two more GT players who are on the verge of shattering a record.
The two GT batsmen have been playing in the IPL for almost a decade and are on track to reach 2500 runs in the league together.
With 2483 runs, Saha is only 17 runs away from being the sixth Indian wicket-keeper to reach 2,500 IPL runs.
Miller, likewise, needs only 12 more runs to become only the fourth South African to achieve the 2,500-run plateau.
3 Rashid Khan can become the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2023
Rashid Khan will be keen to continue his heroics against PBKS after completing his first-ever IPL hat-trick against KKR.
The Afghan master has been in superb form this season, taking eight wickets in three innings for GT. Another three wickets against PBKS will propel him to the top of the IPL 2023 wicket-taking chart. With 10 wickets in four innings, Yuzvendra Chahal presently owns the Purple Cap.
Also Read: 3 Times MS Dhoni Missed To Strike A Last Ball Six To Win An IPL Match (cricfiles.com)
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