Punjab Kings XI SWOT Analysis

IPL 2024: SWOT Analysis of PKBS

The perennial underachievers of the IPL, PBKS, are gearing up for the 2024 season to make another attempt at proving their mettle in the tournament. PBKS will kick off their campaign against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Punjab Cricket Association New Stadium, Mullanpur on March 23.

As Punjab Kings gear up for the forthcoming IPL season, let's analyse their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

PBKS STRENGTH 

Punjab Kings' strength lies in their roster of established international T20 stars, including Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh, who provide strength to skipper Shikhar Dhawan’s team. Dhawan, known for his consistency, adds further stability. The team also boasts all-rounders such as Liam Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, and Sam Curran, contributing power to their lineup. Additionally, Punjab Kings possess a potent pace battery on the bowling front, capable of delivering expected results in matches.

PBKS WEAKNESS  

The primary weakness of PBKS lies in their lack of proven spinners. With only Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar as prominent options, PBKS suffers from a lack of depth in this crucial area. In a competition where spinners often play a pivotal role in guiding their team to victory, Punjab Kings appear to have limited options in this department. Although they have spin options in Livingstone and Raza, their economy rates demonstrate why these alternatives cannot be fully relied upon.

PBKS OPPORTUNITY 

With Bairstow returning this season of IPL, Punjab's top order will hope the Englishman performs, although he hasn't played much T20 cricket recently. He missed IPL 2023 due to an injury.

Apart from Bairstow, wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma could contend for a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad. He has impressed over the last two seasons, but this season could assess his maturity and consistency.

PBKS THREAT  

The Punjab Kings have yet to address their faltering middle order, comprising Livingstone, Raza, and Curran. Last year, none of the trio managed to score beyond 300 runs, with their batting averages remaining in the low 30s. Another significant concern for Punjab Kings is the absence of Indian all-rounders. Despite possessing some quality overseas all-rounders, it remains to be seen if they can excel in Indian conditions on the pitch.

PBKS PREDICTED XI

Shikhar Dhawan (c), Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Rishi Dhawan (impact sub)

PBKS 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.