Our Sunday afternoon is all set to brighten up a little more as KXIP are all set to face CSK and make a last effort to reach the playoffs of this season. The reverse fixture between the two sides earlier in this year’s IPL saw CSK trump KXIP by ten wickets, with Shane Watson starring with the bat. However, a new-look CSK side could be in for a tough test against KL Rahul and co, for whom this is a must-win game. With two valuable points up for grabs, we should be in for a riveting contest to kickstart the final double-header weekend of IPL 2020.
Match Details:
Match:
Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, Match 53
Date:
1st November 2020, at 3:30 PM IST
Venue:
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
What To Expect:
The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium is a good one to bat on; RR chased down a 185-run target with 15 balls to spare on Friday. The pacers should get some help early on although they will have to rely on back-of-a-length and slow deliveries as the game progresses. There is likely to be turn on offer for the spinners to keep them interested in the middle overs, which could be crucial to the outcome of the game. Dew has played a significant role in the last few games, something that has forced captains to chase in IPL 2020. That trend may continue in this game as well. Even though this match is an afternoon fixture, the conditions aren’t likely to change too much during the game. 170 should be a decent score at this venue, with either captain likely to prefer chasing after winning the toss
Chennai Super Kings:
Despite being out of contention for a playoff spot, Chennai Super Kings have found their mojo of late with two stunning wins over RCB and KKR. With a revamped strategy revolving around young talents such as Sam Curran and Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK have a new-found balance to rely upon although it has come too late for them to salvage their season. They would do a huge favour on all the teams contesting for the playoffs if they are to beat KXIP.
CSK Predicted Playing XI:
Faf du Plessis/Shane Watson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C&WK), N Jagadeesan, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Mitchell Santner, Lungi Ngidi, Deepak Chahar and Karn Sharma,
Kings XI Punjab:
Kings XI Punjab, who occupied the bottom spot in the points table for a long time in IPL 2020, are still in contention for a playoff spot, though. However, KXIP were dealt a sucker punch by RR, who chased down a huge target of more than 180 runs with 15 balls to spare. While the KXIP top order duo of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle have fired in recent games, the team will be sweating over the fitness of Mayank Agarwal, who has been absolutely sensational for them in IPL 2020. If they want to keep their hopes of making the playoffs alive then they would have to win this match.
KXIP Predicted Playing XI:
KL Rahul (C&WK), Mayank Agarwal/Mandeep Singh, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Glenn Maxwell, Deepak Hooda, Chris Jordan, Ravi Bishnoi, Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh.