thumbnail

PUNJAB VS. CHENNAI: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE, MATCH 18 | MATCH PREDICTION, AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS

The second game on a doubleheader Sunday is going to be an exciting clash between Punjab and 3-time champions Chennai at the Dubai International Stadium.

The start has not been ideal for either side as they occupy the second-last and last place in the point table. Punjab lost 2 close games and was beaten by Mumbai convincingly in their last match, whereas Chennai has not won after the opening day of the tournament and is on a 3-match losing streak. A fourth loss will decrease the chances of either team making the playoffs.

For Punjab, L Rahul and M Agarwal have been the sole bright spots in the batting department. They also occupy the first and second places on the Orange Cap list. N Pooran showed form in the last match, while G Maxwell has been struggling so far. C Gayle can be in the playing XI in his place.

Death over bowling will be a cause of concern for Punjab as they conceded 85 and 89 runs in over 16 to 20 in their last 2 matches. C Jordan may come back in place of J Neesham to strengthen death bowling.

Chennai has not struggled like this since the 2010 edition of the league. Usually, they are at the top of the table and everyone else tries to catch up with them. But this year their batting is struggling and they failed to chase down the scores in their last three matches.

S Watson is getting out cheaply and apart from F du Plessis, nobody is scoring runs consistently. The return of A Rayudu to the playing XI did not help either in the last match. Dhoni and Jadeja batted well together and scored their highest scores in the tournament. But the lack of momentum at the top of the order is hurting the team.

The head-to-head record between the two teams is in favor of Chennai who has won 13 matches compared to Punjab’s 9 wins in the 22 matches played between them. The recent results set the teams on an equal footing as both the teams have shared the wins alternatively.

All in all, another exciting contest awaits us in Dubai, with both sides looking to register their second win of the season and bring some momentum to their campaign.

Play fantasy cricket on Howzat

Match Details

  • Match: Punjab vs. Chennai, Match 18
  • Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai
  • Date & Time: Oct. 4, 2020, at 7.30 PM IST

Probable Playing XI

Team Punjab

L Rahul (C & WK), M Aggarwal, K Nair, N Pooran, G Maxwell, Sarfaraz K, J Neesham, M Ashwin, M Shami, S Cottrell, R Bishnoi

Team Chennai

S Watson, A Rayudu, F du Plessis, K Jadhav, M Dhoni (C & WK), R Jadeja, S Curran, D Bravo, P Chawla, D Chahar, and S Thakur

Pitch Report

The average first innings score at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium this season has been 170. Both the batsmen and bowlers have had their moments of triumph in the 7 matches played here so far. While fast bowlers have enjoyed swing early on, batsmen have also made good use of the conditions on offer.

The batsmen have generally preferred to bide their time in the middle before going big. L Rahu and M Agarwal have shown that successfully. However, the batsmen will be careful of the spinners, who should get some turn off the surface as the match goes on.

No team has won batting second at the venue, still, both teams will ideally look to bowl first on winning the toss as dew is expected in the second innings.

Key players

  • L Rahul and M Agarwal have good memories of this venue. Expect them to return to scoring in this match.
  • N Pooran showed his potential with a 27-ball 44 and can score big against struggling Chennai bowling.
  • M Shami and S Cottrell have picked up 14 wickets between them. A few more likely, given the struggles at the top for Chennai.
  • A Rayudu and F du Plessis are key batsmen for Chennai as they look to end their bad form in the tournament.
  • R Jadeja scored his first half-century of the tournament in the last game against Hyderabad. He will look to use that confidence in his bowling.
  • D Chahar will be important with the new ball as Punjab’s strength lies at the top and removing one or both the batsmen will be ideal for Chennai.

Howzat Dream Team

  • Wicketkeeper: KL Rahul, N Pooran
  • Batsmen: M Agarwal, A Rayudu, F du Plessis
  • All-rounders: R Jadeja, D Bravo
  • Bowlers: S Cottrell, M Shami, D Chahar, P Chawla
  • Captain: A Rayudu/ L Rahul
  • Vice Captain: D Chahar/ M Shami
howzat dream team for Punjab Vs Chennai indian T20 League Mar 18

NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy cricket team by using your knowledge of cricket. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the playing 11.

Select your own team and play fantasy cricket on your favorite fantasy cricket app, Howzat!