IPL 2023, CSK vs PBKS: Chennai starts favourite against Punjab in battle of 'Kings'
Chennai Super Kings will play host to Punjab Kings on Sunday. While the former is being tipped as the favourite to see this through, the latter has been unpredictable this season. Here is the match preview.
FollowFormer four-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will head into the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) as favourites, with spin bowlers expected to play a massive role in the home side's scheme of things at the MA Chidambaram (Chepauk) Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Both teams head into the game after defeats in their previous matches. While CSK fell short by 32 runs against former champion Rajasthan Royals (RR), PBKS lost to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 56 runs.
CSK will be happy to return to home comforts, where spin is king, and their wise captain MS Dhoni will look to strangle the PBKS batters. A high-flying CSK was ambushed in Jaipur as the batters came up short, chasing 203 for victory against the Royals. The CSK batting unit, which has been performing, couldn't quite get going against RR. Opener Devon Conway, who has been in top form, faltered.
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Apart from Conway, opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ajinkya Rahane have been the critical batters for CSK, while Shivam Dube has shown he can score quick runs. Ravindra Jadeja's lack of runs would be a worry for the CSK think-tank, but the all-rounder makes up for it with his splendid bowling and fielding.
All eyes will be on Dhoni, who is seemingly on a farewell run, and the crowd would be delighted if the talismanic skipper faces even a few deliveries. Dhoni turned to his spinners when the Royals were on a rampage, and Maheesh Theekshana and Ravindra Jadeja were immediately able to stem the flow of runs.
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Come Sunday, the skipper will again rely on his spinners to turn the ball and trick the opposition. CSK will likely continue with its three-pronged spin attack of Jadeja, Theekshana and Moeen Ali. In the pace department, Tushar Deshpande, with 14 wickets, albeit at an economy rate of 12.57, has put his hand up in the absence of an injured Deepak Chahar and will look to put his best forward. In contrast, young Aksah Singh and Matheesha Pathirana will look for an improved show.
CSK is a team which makes only a few changes, and it is likely that England's Test captain Ben Stokes, who has recovered from the injury which has kept him out for some games, would be benched again. On the other hand, PBKS have struggled for consistency, and the return of skipper Shikhar Dhawan did not help the team's cause on Friday.
Up against a daunting target, the PBKS batters scored at a decent pace and did their best to reach 200 but couldn't take the side over the line. They will have their task cut out against the spin-heavy CSK. The top order comprising Dhawan, Prabhsimran Singh and Atharva Taide needs to get going, while Liam Livingstone is yet to come into his own and get a big score.
Sam Curran led the way against former five-time record champion Mumbai Indians (MI), and his contribution with both bat and ball holds the key for the team. Pacers Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada, who was taken to the cleaners by LSG batters, will have to regroup quickly. Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar's spell in the middle overs would also be crucial on a Chennai track which is usually slow and low.
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Squads:
CSK: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c & wk), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, Sisanda Magala, Shivam Dube, Dwaine Pretorius, Ahay Mandal, Nishant Sindhu, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Mitchell Santner, Subharnshu Senapati, Simarjeet Singh, Matheesa Pathirana, Mahesh Theekshana, Bhagath Verma, Prashant Solanki, Shaikh Rasheed and Tushar Deshpande.
PBKS: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Rahul Chahar, Sam Curran, Rishi Dhawan, Nathan Ellis, Gurnoor Brar, Harpreet Brar, Harpreet Singh, Vidwath Kaverappa, Liam Livingstone, Mohit Rathee, Prabhsimran Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, M Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Singh, Matthew Short, Sikandar Raza and Atharva Taide.
Match details
Date and day: April 30, 2023 (Sunday)
Venue: Chepauk Stadium, Mumbai
Time: 330 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and other Star Sports regional language channels - Also available in HD
Where to watch (Online): JioCinema
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