Punjab Kings’ skipper Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of IPL clash against Rajasthan Royals
Mullanpur, April 13 (IANS) Punjab Kings’ skipper Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of their clash against Rajasthan Royals as captain Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to bowl first in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 clash at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Saturday.
The Punjab Kings, currently at ninth place in the table, will have Liam Livingstone back in the playing XI as Atharva Taide replaces the injured Dhawan. Rajasthan Royals has made changes to their line-up as well, with Rovman Powell and Tanush Kotian coming in for Jos Buttler and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Stand-in captain Sam Curran expressed confidence in his team’s balance and quality players, despite not having regular captain Dhawan on the field. RR skipper Sanju Samson highlighted the importance of focusing on the process over the end result, especially when facing challenges due to missing players.
The pitch for the Saturday’s clash is the same used for Punjab Kings’ previous match against Delhi Capitals. The last five matches between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals have been tightly contested, with all going down to the wire.
The playing XIs for the match are set, with Punjab Kings featuring Atharva Taide, Jonny Bairstow, and Liam Livingstone while Rajasthan Royals will have Sanju Samson, Rovman Powell, and Tanush Kotian in their line-up.
The clash between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals is expected to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams looking to secure a crucial win in the IPL 2024 season.
–IANS
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