Mohali: PCA Stadium, Mohali on Monday will see a clash between home team Kings XI Punjab led by David Miller and Sruesh Raina-led Gujarat Lions. Both the teams will be playing their first match of the Indian Premier League 9 and will be hoping to start the new season with a win.
Let’s take a look at the players who can make a difference for their teams in the match:
Kings XI Punjab
David Miller: The newly appointed captain of KXIP, Miller has been a core part of this team for many years. He has been a match winner for Punjab and played a significant role in the 2014 season when KXIP finished 1st in the table with a strike rate of 149.6 .
Glen Maxwell: He announced himself to the world in the 2014 IPL. He scored 552 runs with a highest of 95 and a strike rate of 187.75! Two years down the line and now he is more experienced and more matured in his batting and his form will be vital for Punjab to win this season.
Shaun Marsh: The first ever orange cap holder, Shaun Marsh has been phenomenal for the Punjab side. He can play any role in the team, be it of an opener or a finisher and will be a vital component for PreityZinta’s team.
Gujarat Lions
Suresh Raina: He will be captaining the Gujarat Lions this season. Coming off a bad WT20 he will be eager to prove his credentials to the Indian selectors. He is the highest run scorer in the IPL, scoring 3699 runs.
Brendon McCulum: The recently retired former New Zealand captain was responsible for giving CSK a fiery start along with Dwayne Smith. This season Gujarat fans will be hoping that he can do the same for them. Having a strike rate of 155.71, he surely is a player to watch out for.
Dwayne Smith: He has been the most consistent opener in the IPL for the last few seasons. Be it for Mumbai or Chennai he has been responsible for getting his teams off to a flier. He also has a thing or two to prove to the West Indies cricket board,having not been picked for the World T20.
