The much-awaited cricketing extravaganza,The IPL 2024,is about to begin.Ten top teams will fight for the ultimate prize.There is quite a bit excitement among the fans as they will enjoy watching the best players in the world showcasing their talents to the best of their abilities.
Punjab Kings will be desperate to win their first ever IPL trophy. They had a very under-par campaign last year,finishing eighth on the table.With team captain Shikhar Dhawan fully fit and the addition of the Harshal Patel,Rilee Rossouw and Chris Woakes in their ranks,Punjab Kings’ fans will expect better showings from their team in IPL 2024. Here we will discuss the five most influential players for Punjab Kings(PK) this year.
o read KKR 5 Most Important Players click here
To read RCB’s 5 Most Important Players click here.
Shikhar Dhawan (PK Captain,IPL 2024)
Shikhar Dhawan will be itching to bring the first IPL trophy to his beloved Punjab. For this to happen Shikhar has to be at his best at the top of order. He has been a phenomenal player and is the second highest run-scorer in the history of the IPL. Having joined Punjab Kings in 2022,Shikhar has been a very consistent batter for his team.Last year he missed few games due to injury problems, but still scored 373 runs in 11 games. Shikhar’s leadership skills will also play a crucial role in his team’s success. He has to lead from the front,if his team is determined to turn the tide this season
Sam Curran (PK All-Rounder,IPL 2024)
After spending few productive years with CSK,England all-rounder Sam Curran rejoined the Punjab Kings in 2023 for then IPL record INR 18.5 crores. He immediately started repaying that money with impressive performances for his franchise. in IPL 2023,Sam played 14 games for Kings ,scored 276 runs and picked up 10 wickets.
Punjab Kings hope that in IPL 2024,Sam will improve on those performances.Sam is a vital cog in PK’s line up. Sam has the experience and game to thrive in Indian conditions. Kings are pretty thin in the middle order batting this year and Sam has been asked to bat at no.4. He can prove to be the glue to hold the batting lineup together. His bowling is also a big asset to his team.
Jitesh Sharma (PK Batter,IPL 2024)
Arriving for just INR 20 Lac in 2022,Jitesh Sharma has proven to be a bargain for Punjab Kings. The Maharashtra born wicketkeeper-batter was a revelation for PK last year. Playing in lower middle-order as a finisher,Jitesh played few match winning knocks for his team.Last year he scored 309 runs in 14 matches for the Kings mostly playing a few overs at the death end of an innings. In IPL 2024,Jitesh may play higher up the order with the responsibility of holding together the weak middle order. Jitesh is a smart operator and very clean hitter of the cricket ball.His performances will be key for his franchise’ success.
Kagiso Rabada (PK Fast Bowler,IPL 2024)
South African gun fast bowler,Kagiso Rabada, is one of the best in the world in last few years at international level.His ability to swing the ball at high pace has caused problems to even the very best batters around the globe. Rabada joined Kings in 2022 and had an instant impact. That year he played 13 matches for Kings and picked up 23 wickets.
In IPL 2023,although Rabada became the fastest bowler to take 100 wickets in IPL by reaching that feet in just 64 matches, overall he had a poor campaign picking up just seven wickets in six matches.Punjab Kings’ fans hope that in IPL 2024 Rabada will compensate for the bad performances of last year. Rabada is the leader of Punjab Kings bowling attack and he needs to be at his absolute best if franchise has any chance of winning the title this year.
Harshal Patel (PK Fast Bowler,IPL 2024)
Indian fast bowler Harshal Patel joined Punjab Kings in 2024, for a hefty amount of INR 11.75 crores. Harshal was a great servant for RCB in the last few years.But after underwhelming performances in IPL 2023,Bengaluru outfit released the crafty pacer. Harshal has the ability to bowl in middle overs and at the death.Capable of bowling 24 slower balls,he can vary his length depending on the pitch.
Harshal had a brilliant IPL 2022 for RCB,where he got 19 wickets in 15 matches with the economy rate of 7.66. Punjab Kings expect similar numbers from him this season. Harshal strengthens the pace department that also has Kagiso Rabada,Sam Curran and Arshdeep Singh.This pace battery could really create the havoc in opposition ranks in IPL 2024.
To read the Detailed preview of Punjab Kings click here.