A marginally better net run-rate separates Punjab Kings from their Thursday’s rivals Mumbai Indians as both sides hope to resurrect their faltering campaign when they face off at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.

The Punjab Kings (-0.218) find themselves one spot above Mumbai Indians (-0.234) at the seventh position in the IPL points tally, thanks to a slightly improved NRR. Both teams have lost four of their six games played so far, and head into Thursday’s encounter on the back of defeats in their respective previous outings. While Punjab Kings fell to top-placed Rajasthan Royals in their last game, the MI side suffered a 20-run loss to defending champions Chennai Super Kings back home.

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As such both teams will have their task cut out, and the match will provide a great opportunity to regroup and work on their shortcomings before the tournament gets into its business end.

For the home side, the absence of skipper Shikhar Dhawan, who has been sidelined for a week to 10 days due to a shoulder injury, will put more pressure on the non-performing top order to come of age, and rub off the dust from their bats. In Dhawan’s absence, the onus will be on the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Prabhsimran Singh to set the tone before the likes of Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma and Liam Livingstone get going.

Punjab’s problems have compounded after Prabhsimran has managed just 119 runs from six matches, and Jitesh, eyeing the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot in India’s T20 World Cup squad, could muster only 106 runs from as many outings.

The home side, however, can take pride from the performances of their rising stars in Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, who will once again be expected to do the heavy lifting in case the top and middle order fails to deliver against MI.

On the bowling front, Curran (8 wickets) and Kagiso Rabada (9 wickets) have been on the money but the overseas pacers will expect more support from the Indian pair of Arshdeep Singh (9 wickets) and Harshal Patel (7 wickets) as both have failed to contain the flow of runs.

On the other hand, Mumbai Indians gave glimpses of a turnaround by recording two successive victories against Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru before the CSK juggernaut cut them to size in front of their home crowd at the Wankhede. While their batting and bowling departments have been delivering the goods, but Hardik Pandya will hope for a more collective effort to get his side earn a third win in IPL 2024.

But for that, Pandya must work on his shortcomings himself before expecting the others in the team to perform. The all-rounder, targeting his spot back in the national side for the T20 World Cup, has been hit at an alarming economy rate of 12, and his strike rate with the bat is a pale refection of his earlier self, Hardik will be hoping to get his act together before it gets too late in the tournament.

His predecessor Rohit Sharma is fresh from hitting a century against CSK, and the others in the batting department, including opener Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Tim David have been in rollicking form, and thus a high-scoring encounter can be expected.

In the bowling attack, Jasprit Bumrah will expect more support from the others, including Pandya, Gerald Coetzee, and the uncapped Akash Madhwal.