IPL 2022, PBKS vs GT, Match Prediction: Punjab and Gujarat desperate to gain upper hand

It will be a thrilling game on the cards as Match 16 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will see Punjab Kings (PBKS) and new team Gujarat Titans (GT) clashing. It will be played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Friday. We present the match preview ahead of this tie and predict the winner, as both sides will be desperate to gain the upper hand.

Current form
PBKS is coming off a winning performance against four-time defending champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK), while in the three matches it has played so far, it has won a couple and lost just one. As for GT, it is coming off a win over Delhi Capitals (DC), while it is unbeaten in the two games it has played so far.

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Teams strengths-weaknesses and players to watch
PBKS is loaded with players and is marginally heavy in its bowling. However, its batters are capable of playing big and can turn out to be dangerous. Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada and Rahul Chahar will be the ones to watch out.

Alternatively, GT has a sober bowling attack. Still, its batting is not to be taken lightly, as it possesses quite a few stars. Shubman Gill, David Miller, Hardik Pandya, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami and Lockie Ferguson could make things difficult for all.

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Injury concerns, weather and pitch report
None of the teams has any injury concerns. The weather in Mumbai will be slightly hot, with 28-34 degrees of temperature, while humidity will be around 58%. The pitch will be somewhat slow, and runs may come slow. But, dew will make the captains go for the chase.

Probable XI
PBKS: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith/Jonny Bairstow (wk), Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora and Arshdeep Singh.
GT: Mathew Wade (wk), Shubman Gill, Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Rashid Khan, Varun Aaron, Lockie Ferguson and Mohammed Shami.

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Fantasy XI
Batters: Dhawan, Rajapaksa, Gill - Dhawan and Gill will give a fiery start, while Rajapaksa will dominate at number three.
Wicketkeeper: Wade - He is the best lad in great form in the department.
All-rounders: Livingstone (vc), Pandya, Smith - Livingstone has been a gem with the bat, while Pandya and Smith will be destructive with the bat if they get along, whereas they are decent pacers too. Livingstone's reliability makes him the deputy captain.
Bowlers: Shami, Rabada, Ferguson, Chahar (c) - Chahar is the only one in severe form with his leg-spins, making him the skipper, while the remaining trio will rattle the batting order with their cruel pace.

Match details
Date and day: April 8, 2022 (Friday)
Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (also available in HD and other regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar
Prediction: GT wins; toss to play a crucial role