Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) are looking solid on the paper. The Punjab-based franchise were one of the most active teams during the IPL mega auction and they operated intelligently and have covered most bases.
Punjab Kings will start their campaign against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 27.
With the new season of the Indian Premier League, just around the corner, Indian Express brings you the SWOT analysis of the Punjab Kings.
Strengths
The opening pair of Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan, followed by Mayank Aggarwal and Liam Livingstone, make a solid top-order for the Punjab-based team. What makes the Punjab Kings a strong side this season is presence of Tamil Nadu’s hard-hitting batter Shahrukh Khan and Windies’ all-rounder Odean Smith. The Mayank Agarwal-led side certainly has one of the most exciting batting line-up in the IPl 2022.
Weakness
The middle-order is unsettled as well as brittle. It will be interesting to see where Livingstone and Shahrukh will bat. If they bat at 4 and 5, then they will lack a finisher down the order. Punjab Kings’ pace attack does not look convincing. In Kagiso Rabada, they only have one genuine pace bowler. Odean Smith is nippy but can go for plenty in the death overs. The Punjab Kings will be banking on the Indian pace batteries off Arshdeep Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Ishan Porel, Raj Angad Bawa, Baltej Singh, Vaibhav Arora and Rishi Dhawan. They don’t have a great back-option in the bowling department, too, and if one of their frontline bowlers suffers an injury, it will prove to be a nightmare for the team management.
Opportunities
Big chance for the youngsters like Raj Angad Bawa, Rahul Chahar, Shahrukh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, and Prabhsimran Singh to underline their credentials. A lot will depend on the spin duo of leg-spinner Rahul Chahar and left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar how they operate in the middle over. If on song, Punjab Kings’ top order can swing any matches in their favour. Liam Livingstone’s experience in the Twenty20 format will help the side.
Threats
Punjab have shown in the past that they can be their own worst enemy. Bengaluru duo of Anil Kumble and Mayank Agarwal will have to ensure that the volcano of talent at their disposal doesn’t explode and will have to take it match-by-match as the tournament progresses.
Punjab Kings Full Squad: Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Porel, Liam Livingstone, Odeon Smith, Sandeep Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Prerak Mankad, Vaibhav Arora, Writtick Chatterjee, Baltej Dhanda, Ansh Patel, Nathan Ellis, Atharva Taide, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Benny Howell
Probable Playing XI for the opener
Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Mayank Agarwal, Raj Angad Bawa, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar
Punjab Kings Full IPL 2022 Schedule
March 27: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai)
April 1: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings (Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
April 3: Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings (Venue: Brabourne – CCI, Mumbai)
April 8: Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans (Venue: Brabourne – CCI, Mumbai)
April 13: Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings (Venue: MCA stadium, Pune)
April 17: Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai)
April 20: Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings (Venue: MCA stadium, Pune)
April 25: Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings (Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
April 29: Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants (Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
May 3: Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings (Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai)
May 7: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
May 13: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Punjab Kings (Venue: Brabourne – CCI, Mumbai)
May 16: Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals (Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai)
May 22: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings (Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
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