Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Predictions: RCB are much more balanced side on paper

Playing in their sixth game of the season Punjab Kings will welcome Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 27th game of the season at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on 20th April. Both teams are on a poor run and will be looking to change their course for good in this tie. Who will win this game?

After suffering two consecutive defeats, the Punjab Kings bounced back in their recent match with a victory against the Lucknow Super Giants. The team's batting heavily relies on the performance of Shikhar Dhawan, who has scored two half-centuries in four matches and is currently third on the list of top run-getters this season. However, the other batsmen have been inconsistent.

Prabhsimran Singh, Dhawan's opening partner, scored a brilliant half-century in a match against the Rajasthan Royals but has only managed to score four runs in the following three matches. Similarly, Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, and Matthew Short have had some decent starts but are yet to play a big inning. Sikandar Raza, the Zimbabwean all-rounder, scored a half-century in the previous match, which should boost his confidence. Arshdeep Singh has been the standout bowler for the Punjab Kings this season, taking eight wickets, but he has been a bit expensive.

Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, and Kagiso Rabada have all leaked too many runs, and the team is lacking a top-quality spinner, with Rahul Chahar being their only option in that department. For the Punjab Kings to maintain their winning momentum, they will need their key players to step up and perform.

Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Matt Short, Harpreet Singh, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, and Arshdeep Singh

In their recent match, the Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a defeat against the Chennai Super Kings despite a strong batting performance that fell just short of their massive target of 227 runs. However, the team will need their bowlers to improve if they hope to win in the future, as they have given up over 150 runs in each of their five matches and more than 200 runs in three of them.

Harshal Patel's economy rate has been over 10.00, one of his poorest showings in recent seasons, while Vijay Kumar Vyshak, who impressed in his debut match, was taken for 62 runs in the last match. Mohammad Siraj has been the standout bowler, taking 8 wickets so far.

On the batting front, the top order, including Virat Kohli, Faf Du Plessis, and Glen Maxwell, has been in excellent form. However, the middle order, particularly Dinesh Karthik, needs to step up in upcoming matches.

Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Wayne Parnell, Mohammed Siraj, Vijaykumar Vyshak

The PCA IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali is known for being a batting paradise, meaning that we can expect to see many runs scored during the match. Opting to bowl first and chasing the total could be a smart decision on this pitch. Typically, the first innings sees an average score of around 165-170, but teams batting first will aim to score closer to 200 runs. While there is some grass on the pitch, which can assist quicker bowlers with early movement. There may be interruptions due to rain which can play a big role in deciding the fate of the game. We expect RCB to win the game as they have a much more balanced side than PBKS.