Punjab Kings (PBKS) will face Delhi Capitals (DC) at Mullanpur, with the match scheduled to begin at 3.30 pm IST (1030 GMT).

Team News

The focus is on whether Rishabh Pant will continue as the wicketkeeper for Delhi Capitals. Jonny Bairstow's return strengthens Punjab Kings' top order after missing IPL 2023 due to injury. However, their lower-order power-hitting remains a concern, which they aim to address by considering either Shashank Singh or Ashutosh Sharma, both known for their aggressive batting and ability to hit sixes.

In the lead-up to the match, Pant is expected to play as the wicketkeeper. There's a decision to be made between Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs, particularly noting Stubbs' proficiency as a finisher in SA20.

Jhye Richardson is recovering from a side strain and might miss initial games as per Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal. Additionally, Anrich Nortje is unavailable as he's in South Africa.

Team Lineups:

Punjab Kings are likely to maintain their Impact Player strategy from last year, utilizing Prabhsimran Singh strategically and rotating their bowlers accordingly.

Probable XII for Punjab Kings: 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Prabhsimran Singh, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Ashutosh Sharma/Shashank Singh, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Rahul Chahar, 9 Harpreet Brar, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Harshal Patel, 12 Arshdeep Singh

Delhi Capitals may include Khaleel Ahmed if they bowl first, while considering Ricky Bhui to strengthen their lower order during batting.

Probable XII for Delhi Capitals: 1 David Warner, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Jake Fraser-McGurk/Tristan Stubbs, 6 Abishek Porel, 7 Ricky Bhui/Kumar Kushagra, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Lalit Yadav, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Ishant Sharma, 12 Khaleel Ahmed