IPL 2024, Match 53: Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings Match Preview

Punjab Kings (PBKS) will be playing at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala for the first time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Sunday, May 5, as they take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Punjab are in the middle of a resurgent run after losing six out of their first eight matches. Sam Curran and Co. have registered two comprehensive wins against Kolkata Knight Riders and CSK and should be brimming with confidence ahead of Sunday's high-octane face-off. The Kings and Super Kings locked horns earlier this week at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The visitors managed to breach the fortress as their spin duo of Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar choked the CSK batters and restricted them to 162/7 in their 20 overs. Punjab chased the target with little fuss as they won with seven wickets and 13 balls to spare. Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw played eye-catching knocks to set up the comprehensive run-chase.

The five-time champions will not get too much time to lick their wounds or devise plans to exact revenge. However, they have adequate ammunition in their repertoire to stop Punjab's morale-boosting winning run. The spotlight will be on captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has had a phenomenal run, especially in the latter half of the season. The right-handed batter is the current Orange Cap holder with 509 runs from 10 matches at an average of 63.62 and a strike rate of 146.69. Shivam Dube has also been in ominous touch, scoring 350 runs in 10 games at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 171.57. While Ajinkya Rahane has struggled at the top, the legendary former captain MS Dhoni has played some fantastic cameos down the order.

However, the big miss for Chennai in this game would be Mustafizur Rahman. The Bangladeshi pacer had been in fine form in the tournament, finishing with 14 wickets from nine games at 22.71. However, he has left the side to join the Bangla Tigers, who are playing a five-match T20I series at home against Zimbabwe. The onus will now be on the enigmatic Matheesha Pathirana, who missed the last game due to a niggle. The Sri Lankan speedster has taken 13 wickets so far in six games at an impressive average of 13. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja has kept things tight but has not been among the wickets. In 10 games, he has only picked up five wickets, three of them coming in one game against Kolkata Knight Riders earlier in the season.

Meanwhile, Punjab have missed regular captain Shikhar Dhawan's services due to injury, but they have managed to cope, thanks to Jonny Bairstow, who has returned to form after a pedestrian start to the season. The wicketkeeper-batter helped the Kings chase down a record 262-run target against the Knight Riders, as he scored an unbeaten 108 off 48 balls on a belter of a track at Eden Gardens. Meanwhile, Shashank Singh has been the standout performer for PBKS this season with the bat. He has scored 288 runs from 10 games at an average of 72 and a strike rate of 169.41. Young Ashutosh Sharma has also played some impactful knocks down the order. However, Punjab fans will want more with the willow from their stand-in skipper Sam Curran.

On the bowling front, no Punjab bowler has been able to produce consistent performances this season. However, Brar has been the most consistent and economical bowler for the Punjab-based franchise. The left-arm spinner has conceded runs at 7.21 runs per over. Harshal Patel is the leading wicket-taker for the Kings, having bagged 14 wickets from 10 matches at 24.14. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh has taken 13 wickets from 10 games at 27.23. However, both the pacers have economy rates of over 10. Kagiso Rabada and Curran have bagged 11 and 12 wickets respectively, but have also gone for a lot of runs.

CSK are currently placed at No. 5 on the points table, with five wins and as many losses from 10 games. Meanwhile, PBKS are positioned at No. 7, having registered four wins and six losses so far in IPL 2024.

Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium Pitch Report and Conditions

Dharamsala is generally a good venue for the quicker bowlers. Ahead of IPL 2024, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium has installed a new hybrid pitch, the first-of-its-kind in India. It is expected that the pitch built with modern technology will provide consistent bounce and stay the same throughout the 40 overs. While the players have encountered severely humid weather conditions in most venues, Dharamsala will offer them a much more favourable setting, with temperatures around 23 degrees Celsius. There is a 60% chance of rain, but fans can expect a full match as the drainage facilities are quite decent. It is an afternoon fixture and dew will not play a role.

Probable Playing XI

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

As Dhawan continues to recover from his injury, Curran will have to spearhead the troops once again. Punjab went unchanged in their last game against CSK and it worked wonders. They are unlikely to tinker with their line-up at this crucial juncture, unless any unexpected injury concern surfaces.

Predicted XI: Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran (C), Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar

Impact Player: Arshdeep Singh

Also Check: IPL 2024 Points Table

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Chennai will have to make a forced change after the departure of Mustafizur. They can bring in Maheesh Theekshana to bolster their spin-bowling resources. Pathirana is expected to come back into the playing XI. If he doesn't recover in time for the contest, England pacer Richard Gleeson could get another game. Deepak Chahar left the field after bowling just two balls in the last encounter. If he fails to recover from his injury, it could open the door for left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary.

Predicted XI: Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (WK), Shardul Thakur, Mukesh Choudhary, Richard Gleeson/Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Impact Player: Sameer Rizvi

PBKS vs CSK Head-to-Head Record

PBKS vs CSK, 53rd Match Broadcasting details: