The 41st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will see Chennai Super Kings (CSK) hosting Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The MS Dhoni-led side lost the previous match to Rajasthan Royals but are already at the fourth place in the points table with five wins from eight matches. CSK have next three matches at home including this one and have a good chance of progressing into the playoffs thanks to their record at home.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, are struggling with consistency. They had started the season with two wins but have since then have lost four out of six matches and are at the sixth position in the points table. They will have start winning games quickly before it gets late. Moreover, an afternoon game in Chennai means their batting line-up will be tested to the hilt.
Match Details
Match: IPL 2023, Match 41
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Time: 3:30 PM IST
Broadcast and Live Streaming: Star Sports Network and JioCinema
Probable Playing XIs
Chennai Super Kings: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C&WK), Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Akash Singh
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan, Atharva Taide, Liam Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
Pitch and Weather Report
The surface in Chennai assists spin bowling and in an afternoon game, it turns a lot more. The ball will come on the bat well under the lights and hence, the team winning the toss is likely to bowl first.
Moreover, the weather is also likely to play a role in the captain's decision at the toss with thunderstorms expected at 3 PM. There is 51% chance of rain in the lead up to the match but things might get clear later.
Predictions
Best Batter of the Match: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwas is due for a big score and has kept on showing some glimpse of his talent while opening the innings this season. He is at the fifth position in the points table having scored 317 runs in eight matches. With conditions assisting spin, it is very much likely that he drops anchor and looks to play throughout the innings in case CSK bat first.
Best Bowler of the Match: Maheesh Theekshana
Maheesh Theekshana hasn't been able to stamp his authority he would've liked to so far in IPL 2023. He has been doing his job conceding around 25-30 runs and picking an odd wicket but CSK would like to see picking him more wickets. With pitch assisting him, Theekshana will be keen on showcasing his skills and dominating the proceedings against PBKS.
Who will win the Match: Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
