As the excitement builds up for the second match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, cricket fans are eagerly bracing themselves for the clash between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) at the PCA New Stadium, Mullanpur, in Mohali on Saturday, March 23. PBKS finished eighth last season with 12 points from 14 games, while DC finished ninth in the standings with 10 points from 15 matches. Both teams will be looking to put on a much better show in IPL 2024 and here are their predicted teams for Match 2 of IPL 2024.
PBKS Predicted XI
Shikhar Dhawan (captain)
Shikhar Dhawan will open for PBKS in IPL 2024. He sustained injuries during the previous season and will look to make amends by adding to the 6,617 runs he's scored in the IPL.
Prabhsimran Singh
Prabhsimran Singh was in good form throughout the 2023 IPL season. He will look to replicate that form in IPL 2024 and repeat his century heroics against Delhi Capitals having made 103 against them last season.
Atharva Taide
Atharva Taide is a promising young talent and enjoyed an exceptional domestic season with Vidarbha. He could be a great asset for PBKS in the middle order and will hope to make his mark in IPL 2024.
Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper)
Jitesh Sharma will be one of the most crucial players in the PBKS middle order. An outstanding hitter and a solid wicket-keeper, he has scored 543 runs in 26 IPL matches so far.
Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone will don the role of power-hitter and finisher in the PBKS batting lineup. He has scored 6,007 runs in T20s with a strike rate of 144.6 and can be a game-changer on his day.
Sam Curran
Sam Curran is one of the top all-rounders in T20 cricket. He has scored 613 runs and taken 42 wickets in 46 IPL matches, making him a player who adds balance to the PBKS team.
Sikandar Raza
Sikandar Raza is a fantastic batter who packs a punch. He is also an excellent spinner who can get wickets at critical moments in the game. Raza has 4,625 T20 runs and 133 wickets in the format to his name.
Harshal Patel
Harshal Patel was the most notable buy for PBKS at last year's mini auction. He will improve the PBKS death-bowling and give his captain the freedom to utilise Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, and Sam Curran during the powerplay without much thought about the closing stages of the innings.
Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabda is one of the best pacers in the world, with exceptional wicket-taking ability. He has taken 106 wickets in 69 IPL appearances and is capable of delivering early breakthroughs.
Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh is a death-over specialist who can also take wickets during the powerplay. He can be expensive at times but has a natural wicket-taking ability, which has seen him take 57 wickets in 51 IPL appearances.
Rahul Chahar
Rahul Chahar will once again be the go-to spinner for PBKS this season. He tends to be one of the more economical bowlers in IPL and will be looking to add to his 65 Indian Premier League scalps in the upcoming campaign.
Impact Sub
Harpreet Brar/Vidwath Kaverappa
DC Predicted XI
David Warner
David Warner is one of the most successful batters in IPL history. He has won three Orange Caps for most runs in an IPL season and scored 6,397 runs in 176 matches in the league.
Prithvi Shaw
Despite not enjoying the best of IPL seasons in past seasons, Prithvi Shaw still remains a game-changer for any team on his day. He's made 1,694 runs in 71 IPL matches and will be aiming for a good season this time around with an eye on spot in India's squad for the T20 World Cup in June.
Mitchell Marsh
Mitchell Marsh had a big impact with the ball in IPL 2023 and will be looking to contribute as a genuine all-rounder in the upcoming season. A powerful hitter of the ball, Marsh will be tasked with getting quick runs and breaking partnerships with the ball in IPL 2024.
Rishabh Pant (Captain)
Captain Rishabh Pant is set to return for IPL 2024, and his arrival will be a significant boost to DC. An all-action explosive batter, Pant has made 2,838 runs in 98 games, including 15 fifties and a ton.
Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper)
Kumar Kushagra is a gifted young batter with exceptional keeping skills. He impressed the DC management throughout the tryouts and will be ready to demonstrate his worth with both gloves and the bat in the upcoming match.
Tristan Stubbs
One of the emerging talents of South African cricket, Tristan Stubbs is a rare commodity of T20 batting. He has had a memorable SA20 season for Sunrisers Eastern Cape as he smashed 301 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 168.15 this year. He can be expected to provide some quick-fire knocks for DC.
Axar Patel
Axar Patel is one of India's top all-rounders right now, and he adds depth to the batting and bowling departments of DC. He's scored 1,418 runs and taken 112 wickets in 136 IPL appearances.
Anrich Nortje
Anrich Nortje has taken 53 wickets in 40 IPL outings and will lead DC's pace attack. His searing pace and ability to extract bounce makes him a threat to any batter.
Khaleel Ahmed
Khaleel Ahmed has 57 wickets in 43 IPL appearances and can cause difficulties for his opponents with the new ball. He is also highly economical, and provides plenty of dot balls in vital phases of matches.
Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav will spearhead DC's spin department and he's one of India's premier spinners having taken 59 wickets in 35 Twenty20 internationals. DC will rely on him for wickets in the middle overs.
Mukesh Kumar
Regarded as a death-over specialist, Mukesh Kumar is capable of restricting runs with his brilliant bowling variations in the closing stages of an innings. His debut IPL campaign last year saw him claim seven wickets in 10 games.
Impact Sub
Lalit Yadav/Sumit Kumar