Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) lock horns with Punjab Kings (PBKS) as Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to filed first in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Thursday (April 13).
Pandya handed GT's debut cap to Mohit Sharma who has dismissed Dhawan 10 times so far in the cash-rich league so far. Meanwhile, Dhawan made two changes in PBKS' playing XI as Kagiso Rabada and Bhanuka Rajapaksa came in for Nathan Coulter Nile and Sikandar Raza respectively.
“Bowling first. Just looks like a good wicket, and from whatever I've seen it's good to chase. Was a one-in-a-million defeat. We are a kind of team that takes it with a smile. Played good cricket until that last over. It happens. It's a fresh game. We'll come out and smile, and throw some punches. I don't know (any changes?). It's there in the paper,” GT captain Hardik said after winning the toss.
“Doesn't bother us. Were looking to bowl first. We have been playing good cricket. Quite normal to go through this in cricket. Won't be the first time or the last (loss against SRH). Looking forward to put up a great show. Two changes - Rabada coming in for Nathan. Bhanuka coming in for Raza,” PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan said.
Follow the PBKS vs GT's live scores here
Pitch report
"The pitch is an absolute beauty, not for the bowlers but for the batters," says Murali Karthik analysed the pitch. "Quite a good covering of grass here. Would probably look to bowl first. Big ground, lots of pockets, and batters will have to do a lot of running," adds Chris Morris.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh, Shikhar Dhawan(c), Matthew Short, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma(w), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Rishi Dhawan, Arshdeep Singh.
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya(c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Joshua Little.
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