The Gujarat Titans are in a good position in the IPL 2024 points table. They have won two out of three matches, both in Ahmedabad, and have been assembling their team combinations well. We believe that adding Nur Ahmad to their eleven players was a good move and has brought them many dividends. Nur’s presence also makes Rashid Khan more deadly. With Mohit Sharma bowling brilliantly after the powerplay, GT has several very good bowlers to turn to. We’re still not entirely sure what to expect from Azmatullah Omarzai and Umesh Yadav, as both can be quite expensive. As for batting, Shubman Gill has shown signs of good form, and we believe a big score might be on the cards. David Miller has been superb batting at number four, but there seems to be some concern. His availability is in question, and if he is unavailable, it will be a big blow for GT. Sai Sudharsan has been excellent, but GT wouldn’t want to rely too heavily on Vijay Shankar, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Rahul Tewatia to do too much. We think that, when betting, you can look at GT’s chances in this match optimistically, but also acknowledge their weaknesses.
The Punjab Kings have so far followed a fairly similar pattern in all their matches. A strong opening position, with Shikhar Dhawan’s run-chase at an average pace, and not much else thereafter. The game results have not been as good as expected, largely due to resource utilization. Liam Livingstone continues to slide down the batting order, despite arguably being the most dangerous T20 player in PBKS. Shikhar Dhawan plays the role of Virat Kohli for RCB. Consistent but not fast enough for today’s T20 cricket. Dhawan’s batting provides PBKS with something to work with but makes them vulnerable to an attacking batting opponent. In such a situation, Johnny Bairstow, Jitesh Sharma, and possibly Sam Curran will need to step up to develop the start they have already received. The balance and leadership of the PBKS team are slightly disrupted. We can also see foreign players struggling against Rashid and Nur in the middle. The bowling attack for PBKS is one of the weakest in IPL 2024. Kagiso Rabada is no longer the force he was a few years ago, Arshdeep Singh seems to have regressed, and Rahul Chahar is trying hard to make an impact. Sam Curran is also not one to overcome obstacles in such conditions.
