IPL 2021, PBKS vs CSK Live.IPL 2021, PBKS vs CSK Team Predicted Playing 11 for Today Match LIVE Updates: Chennai Super Kings would look for inspiration from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and a much-improved bowling effort when they take on a power-packed Punjab Kings in the IPL in Mumbai on Friday. The two sides experienced contrasting fortunes in their respective tournament opener.
While CSK lost by seven wickets against Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings eked out a four-run win over Rajasthan Royals in a high-scoring thriller.
With the dew playing a crucial role at Wankhede, the side winning the toss would want to bowl first.
Punjab Kings Squad: KL Rahul(w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Moises Henriques, Mandeep Singh, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Jalaj Saxena, Sarfaraz Khan, Fabian Allen, Saurabh Kumar, Ishan Porel, Ravi Bishnoi, Utkarsh Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Prabhsimran Singh, Harpreet Brar
Chennai Super Kings Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Robin Uthappa, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Krishnappa Gowtham, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma
Ruturaj Gaikwad/Robin Uthappa, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c, wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.
KL Rahul (c/wk), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.
Young Arshdeep Singh (3/35) eventually emerged as Punjab’s saviour. Needing 13 runs off the last over, the left-arm pacer gave away just eight runs to pull off a fine win for his team.
Punjab Kings defeated Chennai the last time they played each other at the Wankhede Stadium, in the 2014 IPL qualifier.
KL Rahul needs just two more sixes to complete 50 sixes in T20 cricket.
KL Rahul’s last three IPL scores at the Wankhede Stadium are 94, 100* and 91.
The two sides experienced contrasting fortunes in their respective tournament openers. While CSK lost by seven wickets against DC, PBKS eked out a four-run win over RR in a high-scoring thriller.
Punjab Kings had a narrow escape against RR the other despite posting a mammoth 221 for 6 on the board. Opening the batting, KL Rahul played a captain’s knock of 91 off just 50 balls. He was ably supported by big-hitting Chris Gayle (40 off 28) and Deepak Hooda (64 off 28). For Punjab Kings and Rahul, batting is not at all area of concern as they showed with their performance in the opener, but just like CSK, the bowling unit remains a major worry despite spending big money at the auction.
Chennai outfit’s bowling unit looked completely out of sorts and clueless against the DC opening duo of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw, who were ominous from the word go and stitched a 138-run stand to take the game away from CSK. The likes of Deepak Chahar, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Jadeja and Moeen Ali all went for big runs and looked rusty. And come Friday, the onus would be on master tactician Dhoni to inspire his teammates to lift their performance and give Punjab a run for their money.
Suresh Raina enjoys a good record against Punjab as he has scored 814 runs at an average of 42.84 and a strike rate of 151.97 against PBKS in the IPL
The track at the Wankhede Stadium is a mixture of red and yellow soil with enough clay content. So one expects even bounce and high-scoring games. The pacemen too find some assistance. The dew factor could also come into play.
In IPL history so far, both teams have played 23 games out of which 14 have been won by the CSK team, while Punjab have won the rest of the 9 matches.
Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni was fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 10. As it was his team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Mr Dhoni was fined Rs 12 lakh.
In tonight's encounter, it will KL Rahul's Punjab Kings against MS Dhoni's Super Kings. Punjab look set to continue with the winning combination. CSK won't have the services of either of their overseas pacemen - Jason Behrendorff and Lungi Ngidi. Stay tuned for all the updates surrounding the exciting contest as we build-up to the match.