CSK Vs PBKS, Match Preview
A Bangalore defeat makes this match irrelevant, as CSK will have a great chance of staying in the top two. A win for Bangalore against Hyderabad though, changes the equation. Nevertheless, CSK will hope to win and erase all doubts ahead of the playoffs. They lost two games in a row, and some of their deficiencies are beginning to show. For starters, MS Dhoni’s form is a massive concern. He came into bat with ten overs to go against Delhi, but struggled to get going. The other batters couldn’t get going as well, with Rayudu making an exceptional fifty to save Chennai. The form of their captain though is a concern for CSK, as he struggles to accelerate, disturbing the momentum.
The Punjab Kings are all but out after a loss to Bangalore few days ago. They will need to win by a big margin to hope for a chance at qualifying. Furthermore, they will have to hope for a Rajasthan win, and a Mumbai loss. Both results have to be with big margins, to help PBKS get through, and the outcome seems highly unlikely.
CSK Vs PBKS, Team News
Suresh Raina missed the previous game with a knee injury. He is likely to comeback, unless CSK decide to keep him out based on his form. Sam Curran has left the bubble due to injury, and will also be missing the T20 World Cup. In his place, Dominic Drake has been drafted to the squad.
The Punjab Kings are likely to go with the same eleven as they did in the previous game. Moises Henriques performance came as a welcome surprise, and the side looks good to be used again.
CSK Vs PBKS, Predicted XIs
CSK:
- Faf Du Plessis
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Moeen Ali
- Suresh Raina/ Robin Uthappa
- Ambati Rayudu
- MS Dhoni
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Dwayne Bravo
- Shardul Thakur
- Deepak Chahar
- Josh Hazlewood
PBKS:
- KL Rahul
- Mayank Agarwal
- Aiden Markram
- Nicholas Pooran
- Moises Henriques
- Shah Rukh Khan
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Harpreet Brar
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Arshdeep Singh
- Mohammad Shami
CSK Vs PBKS, Players to Watch out for
Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali is a key factor behind CSKs resurgence after a dismal season in 2020. He has provided the intent at number three, and did well enough to displace Suresh Raina from his long time position. The UAE leg though, hasn’t been as kind for him. He is getting runs at a quick pace, but is yet to play an innings as long as the once he played in the India leg. His bowling has also been underused. With a lot of options, and Dhoni’s limited use of spin, Ali hasn’t bowled too much, but might in the upcoming fixture.
Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran has been a key member of Punjab for a while, but is struggling with the bat. Both the Indian and UAE leg hasn’t been to good for him. He has one more game to make an impact, and grab Punjab’s attention with the mega auction coming up. Pooran will be hoping to end a poor season on a high, and go to the World Cup with some form behind him.
CSK Vs PBKS, Pitch Report
Dubai hasn’t seen as much dew as Abu Dhabi, and as much spin as Sharjah. There is some grass on the surface aiding swing initially. The ball holds on a bit, helping spinners, and there is some help across departments. Bowling first is a good option on a surface with good bounce, and assistance to everyone.
