Punjab Kings Face Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023 Opener

Match Preview: PBKS vs GT

Mullanpur (Punjab) [India] - On March 31, Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to field first against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the opening match of their IPL campaign at New Chandigarh.

Last season's runners-up, PBKS, are determined to take the next step and secure their first-ever IPL title this year, guided by the leadership of Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting. Their journey towards this goal begins now.

For GT, led by Shubman Gill, this season is equally crucial as they aim for their second title following a playoff finish last year. Gill, who captains India in ODIs and Tests, is eager to prove his worth in T20s after missing the T20 World Cup due to a slump in form.

During the toss, Iyer stated, “We are going to bowl first. We had an outstanding last season, but we must focus on the present and not dwell on the past. We need to showcase our best cricket. Cooper Connolly is in the lineup, along with overseas players Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, and Marco Jansen.”

GT's Gill mentioned that two players, New Zealand's Glenn Phillips and Rajasthan's Ashok Sharma, will be making their debuts for the team, and he shared details about their overseas lineup.

“The pitch looks promising. There has been some rain over the last couple of days, but it appears to be a good batting surface. Last year was successful for us. We have two debutants - Glenn and Ashok Sharma. Our overseas players include Jos Buttler, Glenn, Rashid Khan, and Kagiso Rabada,” he added.

Gill expressed confidence in the experienced Buttler, hoping for a strong season despite his recent struggles in the T20 World Cup.

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, M Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj.