PBKS vs RR IPL 2023 Match Preview & Prediction | Match 66

PBKS vs RR is do-or-die for two franchises with a slim chance of reaching the playoffs. Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have 12 points each and need a win to keep playoff hopes alive. Both teams failed to grab two points in their last fixture, and one of these sides faces elimination now.

Dharamsala’s HPCA Stadium will host the match on Friday at 7:30 PM.

Punjab Kings

PBKS’ top order has to produce a top performance in Dharamsala. On Wednesday, Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran were dismissed quickly in the defeat against Delhi Capitals (DC). However, the fans will be delighted with Liam Livingstone’s valiant knock of 94. The Englishman stitched together a 78-run stand with Atharva Taide. But Jitesh Sharma and Shahrukh Khan failed to deliver the goods.

The PBKS bowling unit has a big challenge on its hands. Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, and Kagiso Rabada must keep a dangerous RR batting unit at bay on a batting-friendly track in Dharamsala. The Aussie had picked up four wickets the last time PBKS met RR. The spinners – Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar – are unlikely to get much purchase.

Rajasthan Royals

RR’s top order has to up their game after the embarrassing defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last week. With the pitch at HPCA stadium favoring batters, the RR faithful will be hoping that experienced batters like Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer will come to the party on Friday.

Trent Boult and Sandeep Sharma will be key on a pitch with little assistance for spinners. The Kiwi pacer’s ability to trouble the batters in the powerplay is something the fans would expect ahead of RR’s final league stage game. Sandeep Sharma, who replaced Prasidh Krishna, hasn’t been that prolific but has done a fine job with the ball. The spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin will hope to bring their experience and find a way to pick up wickets during the middle overs.

PBKS vs RR Head-to-Head

In the 25 fixtures between both sides, RR has grabbed 14 wins, while PBKS won 12 times. Shikhar Dhawan, Prabhsimran Singh, and Nathan Ellis shone for PBKS in the latest meeting between both teams.

PBKS vs RR Last Five Meetings

Date	Winner	Margin	Player of the Match
Apr 5, 2023	PBKS	Won by 5 runs	Nathan Ellis
May 7, 2022	RR	Won by 6 wickets	Yashasvi Jaiswal
Sep 21, 2021	RR	Won by 2 runs	Kartik Tyagi
Apr 12, 2021	PBKS	Won by 4 runs	Sanju Samson
Nov 6, 2020	RR	Won by 7 wickets	Ben Stokes

PBKS vs RR IPL 2023 Stats

Let us see some interesting IPL stats of PBKS and RR from this season:

Top Run-scorer: Shikhar Dhawan – 356 runs (PBKS); Yashasvi Jaiswal – 575 runs (RR)

Most Wickets: Arshdeep Singh – 16 wickets (PBKS); Yuzvendra Chahal – 21 wickets (RR)

Most Sixes: Prabhsimran Singh – 19 sixes (PBKS); Yashasvi Jaiswal – 26 sixes (RR)

PBKS vs RR – Who Will Win?

The PBKS-RR clash promises to be an electrifying contest. The Royals, who won four of the six matches away from home, have a slight advantage due to their stellar batting lineup. With the pitch at HPCA Stadium assisting the batters, RR will likely give a tough challenge for PBKS bowlers, who haven’t been consistent enough this season.