GL vs KXIP Match Prediction: Who will win the match between Gujarat Lions and Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2016, Match 28

Kings XI Punjab, who are languishing at the bottom of the points table, take on the present table toppers of the IPL, Gujarat Lions. It could well be a lopsided contest considering the fact that the Lions will be playing in their own den, Rajkot. Kings XI need to believe that they can achieve the unthinkable because if they don't they could be virtually out of this tournament very soon. There has been a shake-up in their team with reports emerging that an underwhelming David Miller has been stripped of the captaincy and the baton has been given to Murali Vijay. Miller, though, will be gutted with his own performance and he has no one to blame but himself.

The Gujarat Lions sitting at the other end of the spectrum have had everything going in their favour. It's been hunky dory so far for them and they would like a couple of wins to seal their place in the playoffs. At the moment, the Kings are right at the bottom with 5 losses in 6 games and the Lions have 6 wins in 7 games. It's a no-brainer then that Gujarat starts overwhelming favourites. A stark mismatch on the cards then? Let's try to predict and analyse some possible scenarios.

Venue: Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

Match date: May 1, 2016

Match timings: 1600 hrs IST

If Kings XI Punjab bat first

Predicted score: 155 and above

The openers have to be wary of Praveen Kumar as he would get the ball to jag around initially. There will be added responsibility on Vijay if he is handed the captaincy and he would love to make a statement by getting a big score. Manan Vohra needs to fire alongside Vijay and some judicious strokeplay on his part would really help Punjab's cause. Expect Marsh and Maxwell to retain their places but there will serious doubts on Miller's place in the side. He could well be replaced by Marcus Stoinis if the Kings opt for an all round option. The other option could be opting for the experienced Farhaan Behardein.

Armaan Jaffer could get a game if the Kings want to add some teeth to their batting. It's important for the Kings not to throw away a good start if they get one. Marsh and Maxwell need to take more responsibility and at least one of them has to bat through the innings if they want to score something that can be defended against the mighty Lions.

On the bowling front, Mitchell Johnson will be expected to get at least two of the top three Gujarat wickets. He could bounce out Raina but before that he has to dislodge the Baz-Smith opening combo which is going great guns these days. Sandeep Sharma will try to swing it away from the bat as a stock ball and get the odd one in to surprise the batters.

Mohit Sharma's bulk of the overs should be kept for the back-end of the innings. On the spin front, it could be a good idea to try leg spinner KC Cariappa for this game. Punjab could play some dangerous cricket as they have nothing to lose. A highly unlikely upset could be on the cards if Punjab players execute their plans better on the field.

If Gujarat Lions bat first

Predicted score: 180 and above

We could have yet another manic and whirlwind start to the innings with McCullum and Dwayne Smith taking centre-stage. The way these two are batting, they could give serious headaches to the Punjab camp. McCullum has looked menacingly good and the black caps will be wondering has he left international cricket too early! Dwayne Smith has been an able ally, dismissing anything substandard from his sight.

Suresh Raina has played some key innings at the top but he hasn't really set the IPL on fire with his trademark knocks. Dinesh Karthik aka DK has been fantastic in the middle and often his contributions have been a telling factor to the end results. James Faulkner and Dwayne Bravo could land some lusty blows if the stage is set for them. Expect Gujarat to get anything over 180 if they wield the willow first. The Rajkot heat could also sap the bowlers of their energies and we could see some let-offs in the field too.

The bowling has been decent as far as the Lions are concerned. The batting-heavy Lions have a balanced attack who seem to do the job adequately for them. Praveen Kumar and Dhawal Kulkarni have been disciplined at the top. PK would love to pick Murali Vijay early to push the Kings on the backfoot immediately. James Faulkner vs Glenn Maxwell should be an enthralling contest as both the Aussies will try to outsmart each other.

Also, Dwayne Bravo can inflict a lot of damage with his slower balls by getting the better of the inexperienced lower order of Punjab. It will be interesting to see whether the Lions play their Chinaman, Shivil Kaushik for this game. Kaushik's action has an uncanny resemblance to Paul Adams’ action. Expect the Lions to continue roaring unless the Kings could come up with something miraculous.

Probable winners: Gujarat Lions