Shreyas Iyer's captaincy can tilt scales in Punjab Kings favour: Matthew Hayden | Exclusive

OPEN & SHUT by MATTHEW HAYDENAs we look at the first qualifier, it is great to see two teams locking horns that have not won the IPL yet. Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are both not just alive in the tournament, they are buoyant after impressive wins in their last league games.RCB had an incredible win that answered many questions that doubters might have had. The manner in which they structured what was their biggest run chase ever was magnificent, and Jitesh Sharma along with Mayank Agarwal showed that the young Indian talent was capable of winning games for their team.I was worried for them after Lucknow piled up a formidable total, particularly because they are so reliant on Virat Kohli in their chases. Kohli laid a great platform for the middle order, but it was their explosive batting that gave the team a comfortable victory.There is still concern about the finishing role that Tim David was playing so well for the team, and there are worries about Josh Hazlewood’s return as well. The former remains unresolved because David had really fitted into the role of a finisher very well. He was the outlier who could give you improbable wins like a Rinku Singh or a Heinrich Klaasen at his best. I would not have given him such a rap even six months ago, but he has been remarkable for RCB this season. As for Hazlewood, he had an extended bowling spell for around 90 minutes before the game started. He looked in fine rhythm and would be ready for the next match, so there is no concern on that score. I would go with Hazlewood — one backs a banker and not a rookie — as he has enough experience to hit the ground running. It would just be his touch on the day that will determine his performance and not time away from the middle.Punjab too come into the playoffs not merely alive, but confident. Their win over Delhi was impressive and showed that Shreyas Iyer’s men are truly the best team so far. Their impressive wins have been constructed on a powerful batting lineup — their openers have been very effective — and an in-form bowling unit.Looking at the match-up between the two sides, it would be hard to not back Punjab. A big plus for them is experienced leadership.Jitesh was wonderful with the bat on Tuesday but he has struggled with captaincy. Shreyas, on the other hand, has been excellent. He has great alignment with the team and has been able to manage the youngsters in the side extremely well.The other two qualifiers, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans, looked a little frayed in the final week of the league.Mumbai could not make the top two thanks to their poor start, and their last loss against Punjab was quite a heavy one. They are still a very dangerous side and can make their way to the final, even though statistics of past playoffs are stacked against them.Gujarat have had two losses and have been stuck at 18 points for a week. Question marks on their middle order and lack of winning form coming into the playoffs is a worry for Shubman Gill’s men.