Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kings XI Punjab will lock horns in the match 18 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Chennai on Saturday.
The game is an important one for both teams as they will have a chance to go top of the table with a win on Saturday. Currently, both Kings XI and CSK are placed on the third and fourth position with six points each but are separated due to difference in net run-rate.
The home side is coming in the match on the back of a thumping 37-run defeat against Mumbai Indians in their previous match, and therefore, MS Singh Dhoni-led team will have to put a much better show if they are to achieve a positive result.
However, the defending champions have already suffered a major blow after veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has been ruled out for two weeks due to hamstring injury.
In the batting department, CSK will be depending on the likes of Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina and captain Dhoni to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir to provide timely breakthroughs.
On the other hand, Punjab will be coming in the match relatively high on confidence as they have registered an impressive 14-run win in their previous match against Delhi Capitals.
In the batting department, Kings XI will be relying on the likes of Lokesh Rahul,
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kings XI Punjab will lock horns in the match 18 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Chennai on Saturday.
The game is an important one for both teams as they will have a chance to go top of the table with a win on Saturday. Currently, both Kings XI and CSK are placed on the third and fourth position with six points each but are separated due to difference in net run-rate.
The home side is coming in the match on the back of a thumping 37-run defeat against Mumbai Indians in their previous match, and therefore, MS Singh Dhoni-led team will have to put a much better show if they are to achieve a positive result.
However, the defending champions have already suffered a major blow after veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has been ruled out for two weeks due to hamstring injury.
In the batting department, CSK will be depending on the likes of Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina and captain Dhoni to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir to provide timely breakthroughs.
On the other hand, Punjab will be coming in the match relatively high on confidence as they have registered an impressive 14-run win in their previous match against Delhi Capitals.
In the batting department, Kings XI will be relying on the likes of Lokesh Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal and David Miller to score bulk of the runs, whereas on the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of Sam Curran, captain Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami to produce timely breakthroughs.
In the past five meetings between both teams, it is advantage CSK as they've managed to win four compared to Kings XI's just one victory.
Optimal Lineup
Key Players
Kedhar Jadhav – 8.5 Cr
First in the list of key players features Chennai Super Kings' Kedhar Jadhav. The 34-year-old is an integral part of the squad and has shown time and again that he has ability to shine at the big stage. In the previous match, Jadhav scored valuable 58 runs but unfortunately finished on the losing side. That innings was a reminder of Jadhav's ability with the bat, and therefore, he might not prove to be a bad player for your team for the match on Saturday.
Imran Tahir – 9 Cr
Second in the list of key players features Chennai Super Kings' Imran Tahir. The right-arm leggie is having an outstanding time with the ball in hand in the ongoing competition where he is currently the leading wicket-taker for the franchise with seven scalps in four matches. Those numbers is an evidence of how effective Tahir can be -- especially in the shortest format of the game -- and therefore, he is the player to have in your team.
Chris Gayle – 10.5 Cr
Last in the list of key players features Kings XI Punjab's Chris Gayle. The veteran left-hander is in great touch and is having a pretty good time in the ongoing IPL edition where he has already scored 139 runs in three matches at an impressive average of 46.33 and strike-rate of 165.47, which also makes him the highest run-getter for Kings XI. With such amazing numbers, Gayle becomes an automatic choice for your team.
Predicted Lineups
Chennai Super Kings:
Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Scott Kuggeleijn, Deepak Chahar, Harbhajan Singh, Mohit Sharma, Imran Tahir
Kings XI Punjab
Lokesh Rahul (wicketkeeper), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller, Mandeep Singh, Sam Curran, Ravichandran Ashwin (captain), Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
