Punjab Kings (PBKS) continued their inconsistent batting performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL), as most of their top-order batsmen struggled while the lower-order players rescued the team. In their match against Gujarat Titans (GT), PBKS managed only 142 runs in 20 overs, with their top five batsmen failing to make significant contributions except for Sam Curran (20) and Prabhsimran Singh (35). Despite a promising partnership between Curran and Prabhsimran, Riley Rossouw, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma couldn’t sustain momentum. Harpreet Brar and Harpreet Singh helped PBKS reach a respectable total. Sai Kishore was the top bowler for GT, taking 4 wickets for 33 runs.
This season, PBKS’s top five batsmen have struggled, scoring a total of 744 runs in eight innings at an average of 19.07 and a strike rate of 123.79, with only two half-centuries. Shikhar Dhawan leads the top order with 152 runs in five matches, followed by Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Prabhsimran Singh, who have all underperformed despite their potential. Sam Curran has been more effective in the lower order than as an opener. Punjab’s top five has the lowest aggregate, average, and strike rate among all IPL teams in 2024.
In contrast, PBKS’s lower-order batsmen, from number six to eleven, have performed significantly better. In eight innings, these players have scored 566 runs at an average of 29.78 and a strike rate of 160.33, with two half-centuries. The uncapped Indian duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma have been standout performers for PBKS, with impressive averages and strike rates. Among all teams, only RCB’s lower order has scored more than 350 runs, with PBKS’s lower order being the next best.