The State of Play
David Miller has warned critics against writing off the Gujarat Titans amid their underwhelming start to the Indian Premier League season, as they prepare to face fellow strugglers Punjab Kings on Sunday.
The Titans – beaten finalists in last year’s edition of the IPL – sit eighth in the standings after losing three of their last four matches.
Shubman Gill’s men produced their worst display yet against the Delhi Capitals on Wednesday, their pitiful total of 89 runs being chased down within nine overs in Ahmedabad.
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While time is of the essence if the Titans are to make it three straight post-season appearances, South Africa batsman Miller does not believe they are too far away.
“If we had won, we would have been four from seven,” Miller said of their defeat to the Capitals. “It just was one of those games where I don’t feel anything went our way.
“As I said a couple of games ago, I don’t feel there are any areas of major concern. There have been one or two games where we haven’t played to our potential but if everyone just plays the way they can, I think everything is pretty sweet.
“I think it’s just about looking at ourselves in the mirror, making sure that we’re ready for the next game.
“Everyone wrote us off the last two years and we were in the finals both years. It’s just about making sure everyone sticks to their contribution for the team.”
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The Kings sit one place below the Titans in the standings having lost five of their seven matches in 2024, including their last two against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians.
One of the bright sparks in their season has been the form of Ashutosh Sharma, who had only made 14 T20 appearances prior to making his IPL debut this year.
Batting at number eight against Mumbai, he hit 61 off 28 balls including 24 off Akash Madhwal in the 16th over, to put the Kings in a position to snatch victory. However, Gerald Coetzee’s 18th-over dismissal of the 25-year-old changed the contest as the Indians clung on for a nine-run win.
Enough said. 🫡#SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #JazbaHaiPunjabi #TATAIPL2024 #PBKSvMI pic.twitter.com/Yr01UPhQe3
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 19, 2024
Despite Punjab’s results, Sam Curran – who is standing in as skipper with Shikhar Dhawan injured – feels the future is bright with talents like Sharma leading the way.
“You see a guy like Ashutosh being able to have that power and skill to sweep pace bowlers. He’s just an incredible talent,” Curran said.
“The team’s incredibly lucky to have those guys playing really well. Hopefully in the next few games, we can win those close ones and you never know, we’re the team that might get that momentum.”
Expected Line-ups
Punjab Kings: Rilee Rossouw, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh.
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson, Sandeep Warrier.
How to Watch
Sky have the rights to show the IPL to UK viewers in 2024 and will broadcast every game live. Sunday’s match will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket from 2.50pm BST.
In India, the games can be streamed on the Jio Cinema app and website. They are also available across the Star Sports Network.
Prediction
PBKS managed a three-wicket win over GT when the teams last met at Narendra Modi Stadium on April 4, but we fancy Gill’s men to get revenge in Mohali on Sunday.
The Titans certainly need to up their game with the bat, but it’s difficult to have too much faith in an inconsistent Punjab side with a bad habit of losing early wickets. It will be close, but we’re backing the Titans to halt their slide with a morale-boosting win.
We stay together. We look ahead.#AavaDe | #GTKarshe | #TATAIPL2024 | #GTvDC pic.twitter.com/sOCUZV3n8Z
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) April 17, 2024
