The Punjab Kings (previously known as Kings XI Punjab) is one of the franchises that participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The team has had mixed fortunes in the previous seasons, having finished runners-up in 2014 but failing to make it to the playoffs in the last few seasons.
Since 2019, Punjab has been sixth in the points standings, and its most recent playoff appearance was in 2014. The 2023 season is almost approaching, and the 2014 runners-up are anxious to finally step it up and make the playoffs after nine years.
As we approach IPL 2023, let's take a look at the squad's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in this SWOT analysis.
Strengths
Strong opening pair: Punjab Kings have a strong opening pair in Shikhar Dhawan and Matthew Short. Dhawan who have scored more than 6000 runs is a second highest run scorer in IPL, whereas Short, who was adjudged as the Man of the Series in the recently concluded Big Bas League brings in a lot of experience in this format. These two at the top will be crucial to the team's success in IPL 2023.
Young and talented Indian players: The Punjab Kings have a host of young and talented Indian players like Arshdeep Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, and Shahrukh Khan, who can make an impact in the upcoming season.
Depth in batting: The team has a good mix of overseas and Indian players, which gives them depth in the batting department. With players like Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, and Sikandar Raza in the squad, they have a formidable middle order.
Weaknesses
Weak bowling attack: The team's bowling attack has been a weak link in the previous seasons. They have failed to defend big totals and restrict the opposition to low scores. There's no back up available for the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh.
Lack of a quality Spinners: The team lacks a quality Spinners who can turn the match for them with the ball in Indian condition. They have a lone leg spinner in Rahul Chahar, who is yet to prove his potential. This puts pressure on the part time spinners to bowl their quota of spin, which can sometimes be very costly.
Opportunities
New players in the squad: The Punjab Kings have made some interesting additions to their squad for IPL 2023, including Sam Curran, Matthew Short, and Sikandar Raza. These players bring in experience and skill, which can help the team in different areas.
Revival for the Captain: The 37-year-old has a fantastic chance to lead Punjab out of their agony and make a strong statement by bringing them to the playoffs after being sacked from the Indian ODI team in 2022 owing to his poor performance. Since 2016, the opening hitter has been performing extraordinarily well, scoring more than 400 runs in each game. This might also help him to regain his place in the Indian ODI setup before the World Cup in October-November.
Threats
Injuries to key players: The injury to the Punjab Kings' dependable player Jonny Bairstow poses the greatest danger. Bairstow, who was injured and missed the T20 World Cup as well, has not yet displayed any indications of healing. As a cornerstone of the PBKS batting order, Bairstow's absence would be of worry to the Kings.
Recent form of Livingstone: Livingstone, a fellow Englishman and the PBKS hero of the previous season, withdrew from domestic T20 matches in the BBL to concentrate on his test début. His recent decline in limited-overs cricket may be the reason for his demise in the shorter version, which would be problematic for PBKS.
Probable Playing XI for Punjab Kings:
Shikhar Dhawan (C), Matthew Short/Bhanuka Rajpaksha, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Shahrukh Khan, Sam Curran, Rishi Dhawan, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada
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