IPL 2022: Match 3, PBKS v RCB- COC Predicted Playing XIs

Both RCB and PBKS will have new captains in Faf du Plessis and Mayank Agarwal respectively.

Match 3 of the IPL 2022 will see Punjab Kings (PBKS) clashing with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai in the second encounter of the doubleheader on March 27, Sunday.

Both the teams will be led by new captains in Mayank Agarwal for PBKS and Faf du Plessis for RCB and both the teams will be missing a couple of key players due to international and personal commitments.

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PBKS had a very good outing in the IPL 2022 mega auction buying the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone, Odean Smith, Benny Howell, Rahul Chahar, and others.

On the other hand, RCB bought Faf du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, Finn Allen, Jason Behrendorff and Sherfane Rutherford.

Keeping this in mind, Team COC presents the Predicted Playing XIs for the PBKS v RCB match at DY Patil.

PUNJAB KINGS

PBKS will be captained by Mayank Agarwal in the IPL 2022 edition and it is expected that he will open the innings with their newest acquisition, Shikhar Dhawan. Given that Jonny Bairstow is yet to arrive from the ongoing West Indies- England Test series in the Caribbean, Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa might get to bat at no.3.

Big hitters Liam Livingstone and Shahrukh Khan may come in next, while until Bairstow arrives, Prabhsimran Singh is expected to keep wickets. Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar will be the spinners for PBKS.

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In the fast bowling department, West Indian Odean Smith might partner Arshdeep Singh and Sandeep Sharma given the team a mixture of experience and pace.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE

RCB team will be led by Faf du Plessis and he will be expected to open the innings as well. It remains to be seen who will open with Du Plessis. A strong contender is Virat Kohli, but with Glenn Maxwell absent due to his wedding, the former RCB captain might stay in the middle order to make it strong.

Therefore, either Anuj Rawat or Finn Allen might open the innings with Kohli coming in at no.3. Dinesh Karthik will keep wickets and probably play the role of the finisher as well adding solidarity to the lower middle order.

Then RCB might field two spin bowling all-rounders in Shahbaz Ahmed and Mahipal Lomror, both of whom are capable hitters of the ball. Not to forget, they also have Wanindu Hasaranga available to them as well, strengthening the spin and hitting department.

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The fast-bowling contingent will have the swing of David Willey, the guile of Harshal Patel, and the speed of Mohammed Siraj. This is mostly due to the absence of Josh Hazlewood, who will be available from April 6 onwards.

PBKS COC Predicted Playing XI:

Mayank Agarwal (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Sandeep Sharma

RCB COC Predicted Playing XI:

Faf du Plessis (C), Finn Allen, Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Mahipal Lomror, Shahbaz Ahmed, David Willey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel , Mohammed Siraj