Punjab Kings (PBKS) won the toss and elected to field first in their crucial IPL 2024 match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.
CSK seek revival at a new venue
Currently sitting at fifth in the points table with 10 points, CSK are desperate for a win to keep their playoff hopes alive with only four matches remaining in the season. The change of venue to Dharamsala might be a welcome sign for the five-time champions, who were recently thrashed by PBKS at their home ground, Chepauk Stadium, just three days ago.
Punjab Kings aim for third consecutive win
On the other hand, PBKS are riding a wave of momentum. Their back-to-back victories have reignited their playoff aspirations. They will be looking to exploit CSK’s vulnerabilities and secure their third consecutive win against the defending champions. Notably, this win against CSK in Chennai made them the second team after Mumbai Indians (MI) to defeat CSK five times in a row.
Mustafizur Rahman absent for CSK
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman, a key bowler for CSK with 14 wickets in 9 matches this season, is unavailable for today’s match as he has joined his national team for the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe. Mitchell Santner replaces him in the CSK playing XI.
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, speaking at the toss, acknowledged the team’s struggles with injuries and forced changes throughout the season. He emphasized the importance of focusing on their own process and not dwelling on the opposition’s record. He confirmed that Santner will replace “Fizz” (Mustafizur Rahman) in the lineup.
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Full Playing XIs and Impact Substitutes
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Jonny Bairstow, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Sam Curran (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh
PBKS Impact Subs: Prabhsimran Singh, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Tanay Thyagarajan, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Rishi Dhawan
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Richard Gleeson, Tushar Deshpande
CSK Impact Subs: Sameer Rizvi , Simarjeet Singh, Shaik Rasheed, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki