Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings: CSK seeks their first win after two consecutive losses
The eleventh match of Indian Premier League will see defending champions Chennai Super Kings squaring off against Punjab Kings. Both teams are coming at the back of a loss in their previous game and will look to improve their loopholes.
Shikhar DhawanChennai Super Kings has lost back-to-back two matches whereas Punjab Kings have one victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
With the winning account yet to be opened, skipper Ravindra Jadeja will be itching to do so tonight. They did improve their batting in the second match after defeat in the inaugural match of this season against KKR. And with the return of Moeen Ali, the batting lineup looks fortified. However it's the bowling arms in the squad that is a bit of a concern. The team is surely missing the services of their bowler all-rounder Deepak Chahar. Placed at 8th in the points table, they will be looking forward to their first victory which can give them momentum.
Punjab Kings on the other hand were able to steal a victory in their opening match against Royal Challengers Bangalore but under-performed in the second game against Kolkata Knight Riders. The batters couldn’t perform well and when bowlers looked to pull the team back into the game, they became victims of Andre Russell's power. The team has a great batting and bowling line-up on paper, and with the inclusion of Kagiso Rabada, it further strengthens the team. They have genuine match winning players in the team, like Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan, Odeon Smith and Liam Livingstone.
Head-to-head
The two teams have faced each other 26 times in the history of the Indian Premier League, where Chennai Super Kings has won 16 while Punjab Kings has won 10 matches.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Brabourne Stadium has much grass on the surface. Seam movement can be the advantage to the bowlers. The pitch saw an easy chase of 200-plus score due to dew therefore teams might look to chase after winning toss.
Probable Playing XI
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja(c), MS Dhoni(w), Shivam Dube, Dwayne Bravo, Dwaine Pretorius, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande
Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Bhanuka Rajapaksa(w), Shahrukh Khan, Johnny Bairstow/Odean Smith, Rishi Dhawan, Arshdeep Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar
Stats to keep an eye on
- Team batting second here carries an 80-percent winning chance.
- Shikhar Dhawan has an average of 40-plus against CSK in IPL and 66.8 since IPL 2020
Both teams will be putting their best foot forwards in the clash.