The weekend is here and we have another double header of action in the Indian Premier League to enjoy on Saturday with the opening match of the two coming from the MA Chidambaram Stadium as the Chennai Super Kings host the Kings XI Punjab.
Both these sides have made good starts to their season and a win here would have them even more handily placed heading towards the halfway mark of the campaign. With two competitive leaders on show we should be in for a good quality contest.
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Chennai Super Kings
The veteran defending champions were going serenely through their title defence until they got to Mumbai last time out and delivered one of the weirder run chases we have seen in a while. At no stage was there any intent at all, on a good wicket for batting against a bowling attack, who while good at the death, never had to do anything out of the ordinary to restrict Chennai with ease.
Everything about Chennai’s performance in that match was strange and they are going to need a real improvement here. I am concerned though. Their fielding in the deep is poor with immobile fielders not helping much and their death bowling is starting to become a worry too. Throw in their top order aren’t up to much and there is a lot to be wary of here.
Kings XI Punjab
Somehow the Kings XI Punjab go into this match with three wins from four matches to their name. They were well on their way to losing their first match before the infamous Mankad incident and then last time out against Delhi they were about to be on the end of a drubbing until the most spectacular collapse broke out to gift the Punjab outfit another unlikely win.
You can never criticise a side for winning, but you can be forgiven for wondering if their luck is ever going to run out. In saying that, they look to have a side who should be well suited to this ground and they do go into the match off the back of a win, no matter how fortunate it came about. They look to match up well to Chennai too which is something that is encouraging about them.
Team News
Chennai Super Kings will be without Dwayne Bravo for the next couple of weeks as he has a hamstring strain. Scott Kuggeleijn has arrived from New Zealand and he could go straight into the side in the Trinidadians place.
Kings XI Punjab will welcome Chris Gayle back after he missed the win over Delhi earlier in the week with a niggle of his own. Sam Curran is expected to stay in the side which means there may only be room for one of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Hardus Viljoen. On this dry Chepauk pitch the Afghan spinner should be favoured.
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Betting
I’m happy to take on the home side here. We don’t truly know what the wicket is going to do here as we’ve had a shocking pitch and a half-decent one, but the similarity in both of them is that they turned so I’m expecting the spinners to have the better of things. Kings XI Punjab have R Ashwin and Mujeeb who are two of the better ones in the tournament and have a couple of other useful options.
I’ve not been completely convinced with the Chennai Super Kings at any stage in the season. Their three wins shouldn’t be shot down but they haven’t beaten anyone with a winning record in the tournament thus far so they could be overrated as a result. Dwayne Bravo gives them a necessary balance which they will be without here so at fairly strong odds against I’m with the Punjab side in the battle of the Kings here.
Tips
Back Kings XI Punjab to beat Chennai Super Kings for a 4/10 stake at 2.20 with Betfred
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