Punjab Kings (PBKS) performed below average in most IPL seasons. Despite being a formidable team, PBKS have often fallen short due to inconsistency, preventing them from winning their first IPL title. During the tournament’s auction season, the management made several fascinating and tactical acquisitions to improve their bowling and middle-order batting attack. With a new home stadium and a steady aim, Punjab Kings hope to reverse the tables and win their first title. So, here are the top four players on the PBKS roster to watch. 

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan will aim to change the team’s fortunes in the competition with his leadership and hitting. With his extensive experience, explosive batting prowess, and leadership abilities, Dhawan can lead the Punjab Kings to their first IPL victory. His ability to score regularly at the top of the order and his intelligent leadership can give much-needed stability and direction for Punjab’s season.

Also, his ability to handle pressure and provide consistent results makes him an invaluable asset to the Punjab Kings in the IPL 2024. In his successful 217-match IPL career, he has scored 6616 runs, including 50 half-centuries and two centuries. 

Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma, the explosive wicketkeeper-batsman, adds firepower and aggression to Punjab’s middle order by scoring early runs and changing the game’s tempo. Recently, he has been appointed as the vice-captain of the arsenal.

Sharma’s ability to accelerate the run rate in the middle overs and fuel the innings makes him an essential asset in the team’s quest for success in IPL 2024, where his explosive batting might turn matches in Punjab Kings’ favour. In his IPL stint, he has made 543 runs in 26 games, with an impressive strike rate of over 160. 

See Also: IPL 2024: Top 4 Royal Challengers Bengaluru players to be in focus

Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel was the most expensive Indian buy in the IPL 2024 auction. The Punjab paid a high price for his services, indicating the franchise’s confidence in his ability and prospective impact on the club. 

Harshal’s ability to confuse hitters with slower deliveries and pace changes makes him an effective T20 bowler. His slower balls, frequently disguised as conventional deliveries, can catch batters by surprise, leading to wickets or limiting scoring. In his IPL stint, he has scalped a commendable 111 wickets in 92 outings, with an economy of 8.59.

Rilee Rossouw

Rilee Rossouw is a South African left-handed batter renowned for his aggressive approach and ability to score rapidly. Rossouw’s extensive expertise in T20 cricket adds firepower to the team’s top order. His aggressive attitude and ability to dominate bowlers make him a great addition to the batting order.

Rossouw, a free-striking left-handed batsman with subcontinental-style wrists, has the potential to make a significant contribution to PBKS’ middle-order batting. In his brief IPL career, he scored 262 runs in 14 games with a strike rate above 140.

ENG vs SA, T20I: Rilee Rossouw’s unbeaten 96 laid the foundation for South Africa’s commanding 58-run win in the second Twenty20 international against England in Cardiff on Thursday as the Proteas returned to even out a three-match series at 1-1. Rossouw’s innings was the foundation of a total of 207-3, with Reeza Hendricks making 53 – – the opener’s second fifty in as many days.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi then, at that point, took 3-27 and all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo 3-39 and paceman Lungi Ngidi 2-11 as England, chasing 208 to win, were excused for 149 in the seventeenth over.

South Africa also held a few fine catches in a massively-improved fielding effort following a trashy display during a 41-run defeat in Wednesday’s series opener at Bristol where England posted a monumental 234-6.

‘Turn around’

“It’s a great turn around from last night. We had a few meetings this morning to clear up a few things.”

said South Africa captain David Miller.

England captain Jos Buttler was left to rue the way that none of his batsmen made more than Jonny Bairstow’s 30.

“A few guys got starts but didn’t play that match-defining innings that Rilee did, we haven’t quite performed to the level we are capable of…It’s set-up for a great decider in Southampton (on Sunday).” 

he said.

Buttler hit 16 runs in three balls from Phehlukwayo – – two sixes followed by a four – – only to fall for 29 off the following when gotten off a taking off top-edge by Hendricks.

England were 77-3 in the 10th over while battling opener Jason Roy holed out for 20 off Shamsi, with Hendricks holding another great catch.

The Proteas then decreased England to 88-4.

Moeen Ali, who in Bristol had hit England’s fastest T20 fifty off only 16 balls, fell for 28 when he drove Shamsi just for Maharaj, running round from wide lengthy off, to grip onto the ball low down.

Shamsi, whose three wicketless overs on Wednesday cost a costly 49 runs, then, at that point, had Sam Curran got as he attempted to clear the short, straight boundary.

Quick bowler Kagiso Rabada excused Bairstow when the in-form batsman uppercut at a slower ball bouncer, with Ngidi taking a fantastic catch behind him at a backward point.

Furthermore, when the big hitting Liam Livingstone, was gotten behind off Phehlukwayo, England were 141-7 in the sixteenth over before Ngidi tidied up the tail.

In a match where the two sides were unaltered, Buttler shockingly chose to field first after winning the toss regardless of England’s run-binge in Bristol.

Off-spinner Moeen made the breakthrough when De Kock (15) confused a drive to mid-on.

New batsman Rossouw hit the last two bundles of the powerplay for 10 runs, flicking Richard Gleeson for six and driving him through extra-cover for four.

Hendricks finished a 29-ball fifty, yet was out soon a while later when Bairstow took a well-judged catch running back towards the long-leg boundary.

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England thought Rossouw was gotten behind down the legside by Buttler off Chris Jordan for 37 however the TV umpire ruled out the ball had bobbed into the wicketkeeper’s gloves.

Left-hander Rossouw’s third T20I fifty came more than seven years after his second, with the 32-year-old left-hander recently returning to international action after becoming a Kolpak player in English county cricket in 2016.

However, his expectations of 100 were run when Jordan surrendered a simple four runs off the last over. Rossouw confronted 55 balls including 10 fours and five sixes.