Middle-order muddle no more, say Punjab Kings in IPL 2024 opener

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign with a win over the Delhi Capitals (DC). In the second match of the IPL 2024 season, the Punjab Kings won the toss and chose to bowl first.

The Delhi Capitals got off to a great start courtesy of short but quick innings by Mitchell Marsh and David Warner and scored 54 runs in the powerplay, at the loss of one wicket.

Punjab Kings bounced back in the middle overs after getting DC captain Rishab Pant, Ricky Bhui, and Tristan Stubbs cheaply. They were 149-8 in the 19th over, but Abhishek Porel had some other plans as he struck Harshal Patel for three fours and two sixes in the final over, taking Delhi to 174 after 20 overs.

In response, the Punjab Kings lost both their openers, skipper Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow, in the powerplay. However, their middle order came to the rescue and powered the Punjab-based franchise to victory with four balls to spare.

Sam Curran, the English all-rounder who was promoted to number 4, scored a brilliant half-century. Liam Livingstone gave great company, remained unbeaten on 38 runs, and finished the match in style by hitting a six.

Punjab Kings' batters tackled the situation perfectly and took calculated risks, showcasing the experience they have gained in the last couple of years. The way both the English players complimented each other and the way Livingstone remained composed even when Punjab lost two wickets in the penultimate over shows his desire to win matches for his franchise.

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The more experienced Punjab Kings middle order will look to live up to fans’ expectations

Throughout the years, the Punjab Kings have struggled in the IPL due to their weaker middle order. After every season, we see the franchise making major changes to the squad, but for the last couple of years, Punjab have tried to maintain the core of the team.

If we talk about last year, the Punjab Kings had the likes of Matthew Short, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shahrukh Khan, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma, but the middle order hardly clicked together as there were only some individual performances.

PBKS still have Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, and Jitesh Sharma, who are more experienced this time. All these players now understand each other and have played enough to know how to finish matches, as they proved in their game against the Delhi Capitals.

Jitesh Sharma joined the Punjab Kings in 2022 and was given a long run of matches to prove himself, and he didn’t disappoint. He has played some match-winning knocks in the last two seasons and has gained enough experience to play in crunch situations.

Meanwhile, two English international players, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran, have shown their capabilities throughout the years. Sam Curran had a poor outing last year as the English all-rounder scored 276 runs and took only 10 wickets in 14 matches. However, the way he performed against Delhi will definitely boost his confidence, and he will be looking to play a major role in the Kings' success.

Expectations are high every time Liam Livingstone comes out to bat, and he managed to live up to them in the first game, guiding Punjab to victory against Delhi. Fans will be hoping for Livingstone to continue his good form and help the franchise win their maiden title.

Overall, if the middle order continues to perform the way it did against Delhi, along with top-order batters Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, and Prabhsimran Singh, the Punjab Kings will be a tough side to beat.

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The Punjab Kings might repeat the 2014 heroics

The last time the Punjab Kings played in an IPL final was way back in 2014. It was their middle order, which back then comprised of Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, and captain George Bailey, that guided the team wonderfully.

Maxwell had a fantastic outing as he scored 552 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 187.7. Meanwhile, David Miller scored 446 runs at an average of 44.6, and their captain, George Bailey, scored more than 250 runs and guided the team pretty well throughout the tournament.

Unfortunately, Punjab were defeated by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the final, who won their second IPL title. But the way Punjab played throughout the season was a treat to watch, with their middle order being the driving force.

Cut to present, the Punjab Kings have started on a high note under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan. Their bowlers executed the plans well, and the rest was handled by middle-order batters. Now, it will be interesting to see if the Punjab Kings carry the same momentum in their forthcoming games.