Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are set to kick off their tournament campaign on March 23rd at 3:30 PM, marking their first encounter of the season. The match will unfold at the iconic Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Mohali.

Shikhar Dhawan will take charge as the skipper for Punjab, while Delhi's leadership rests on the shoulders of the eagerly awaited returnee, Rishabh Pant. Pant's comeback holds considerable intrigue, especially after his hiatus following a car accident in December 2022.

All eyes are poised on Rishabh Pant as he makes his return to competitive cricket after more than a year on the sidelines. His physical condition will be under scrutiny when Delhi Capitals face off against Punjab Kings in Mohali on Saturday. This inaugural match of the double-header Saturday promises a thrilling showdown, with both teams evenly matched, setting the stage for an exhilarating clash.

Head to Head Stats

As far as head-to-head stats are concerned, Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals stand neck and neck in the Indian Premier League. With each team securing 16 victories out of 32 games, the rivalry is intense. Notably, Delhi Capitals have enjoyed recent success. It's worth noting that the two sides have never crossed paths at the MYS International Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh, which makes this IPL fixture particularly historic.

Match Prediction

The return of Rishabh Pant is expected to have a huge impact on DC squad. A super impactful player like Rishabh who is also leading the side will make the difference in the field. Punjab also looks very good on paper. Guys like Liam Livingstone has the ability to change the scenario of the game with some huge blows. Personally, I am backing Delhi to come out victorious in this encounter.

Fantasy Picks

Punjab : Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Harshal Patel

Delhi : Rishabh Pant, David Warner, Anrich Nortje

Probable Playing XI

Punjab Kings

Shikhar Dhawan (C)
Prabhsimran Singh (WK)
Jonny Bairstow
Harpreet Singh Bhatia
Liam Livingstone
Jitesh Sharma (WK)
Sam Curran
Harshal Patel
Rahul Chahar
Kagiso Rabada
Arshdeep Singh

Delhi Capitals

Prithvi Shaw
David Warner
Mitchell Marsh
Rishabh Pant (c/wk)
Yash Dhull
Tristan Stubbs
Axar Patel
Anrich Nortje
Kuldeep Yadav
Khaleel Ahmed
Mukesh Kumar

DC Full Squad

Rishabh Pant (c), Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Kumar Kushagra, Ricky Bhui, Shai Hope, Prithvi Shaw, Yash Dhull, Swastik Chikara, David Warner, Pravin Dubey, Axar Patel, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Sumit Kumar, Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jhye Richardson, Rasikh Salem

PBKS Full squad

Shikhar Dhawan (c), Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh, Harshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Shashank Singh, Tanay Thyagarajann, Prince Choudhary, Rilee Rossouw.