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Big Picture: Punjab Kings in must-win territory
The last time Punjab Kings made the playoffs was in 2014, when they were known as Kings XI Punjab. Since 2015, they have won seven group games out of 14 only twice.
This season, the Kings are still in the race for the playoffs, but they have plenty to do to make the climb up from eighth place. They can get to 16 points if they win their final two league games, but will also have to try and improve their negative net run rate. And beginning with Wednesday’s fixture against Delhi Capitals, they are moving their home base from Mohali to Dharamsala.
The Capitals were the first team to get knocked out of the running for the playoffs, following their defeat to the Kings. After a phase when they won four out of five games, Capitals lost their two most recent fixtures and will hope to end a troubled season on a high. If they do, it could ruin the hopes of the Kings.
Form guide
Punjab Kings WLLWL (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Delhi Capitals LLWWL
Team news
While Punjab have no known fitness issues, Delhi Capitals are still without Anrich Nortje, who had returned to South Africa for personal reasons.
Impact Player strategy
Punjab Kings
Kings started with only three overseas players in their previous game against Capitals, and brought in Australian quick Nathan Ellis for Prabhsimran Singh when bowling second. If they bowl first this time, then Prabhsimran Singh is likely to come in for the chase.
Probable XII: 1 Prabhsimran Singh, 2 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 3 Liam Livingstone, 4 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 5 Sam Curran, 6 Harpreet Brar, 7 M Shahrukh Khan, 8 Sikandar Raza, 9 Rishi Dhawan, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Arshdeep Singh, 12 Nathan Ellis
Delhi Capitals
Manish Pandey had replaced Khaleel Ahmed during Capitals’ run chase against Kings in their previous fixture.
Probable XII: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Phil Salt (wk), 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 Axar Patel, 6 Manish Pandey, 7 Aman Hakim Khan, 8 Praveen Dubey, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mukesh Kumar, 11 Ishant Sharma, 12 Khaleel Ahmed
The big question
Who has been most impressive for the Kings this season?
1.1K votes
Stats that matter
Pitch and conditions
In contrast to all the other venues in the IPL, the weather is expected to be cool, considering Dharamsala’s altitude of 1457 meters above sea level.
Himanshu Agrawal is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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