The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season is set to witness Punjab Kings take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in match number 14 on Wednesday. The match is set to be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. After managing to hold on in their first game, PBKS have suffered back-to-back losses in which they were belted by Chennai and Delhi respectively. Meanwhile, SRH are yet to open their account this season, suffering three straight losses. In all three games, SRH came close but choked in pivotal phases to suffer defeats.
After a batting failure against CSK, Punjab started well against Delhi at the Wankhede. However, despite being at 122/0 in the 13th over, they could only muster 195/4. The runs weren’t enough as Shikhhar Dhawan led DC to a stunning win by hitting a match-winning 92. KXIP bowlers were not up to the mark again and there are concerns over the decisions of selection. Having some genuine T20 stars on the bench, PBKS have decided to choose a similar side which has backfired.
SRH have struggled with the bat and the middle-order has been a huge let down. The absence of Kane Williamson with an injury has hurt the cause. SRH’s team composition has lacked the bite as well. They are too dependent on David Warner and Jonny Bairstow. The others have faltered. They have done well with the ball though. Rashid Khan has been a leader of the pack. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s form is an issue. He has conceded runs and been ineffective.
Here we present all the concerned details to guide you through.
Key details of the match
The match is set to be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. It’s scheduled to start at 7:30 PM IST. Fans can watch the action live on the Star Sports Network in their preferred languages. One can also stream the match live on the Disney+ Hotstar app (paid subscription).
Here’s the preview
For Punjab, they need some tinkering with the playing XI. Experience is vital and that’s where someone like Dawid Malan or Moises Henriques can come in handy instead of Nicholas Pooran, who nine runs in three matches. In the bowling segment, Riley Meredith can be changed with senior Englishman Chris Jordan. He brings more value and knows the IPL well. Ravi Bishnoi needs to be brought in place of Jalaj Saxena, who didn’t have an impact after replacing Murugan Ashwin. Punjab’s strength lies in their front three with the bat. However, one of them needs to continue till the end and make sure there are no hiccups. Deepak Hooda and Shahrukh Khan have looked good as finishers.
SRH were 116/2 while chasing RCB’s 150-run target. But they lost the game somehow. Prior to that, they also faltered against KKR by 10 runs. Against MI, Warner and Bairstow gave them a solid start before the rest of the side gave up to fall short. Rashid Khan has been the best bowler for SRH this season claiming four wickets already at a minimal economy rate of 5.33. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has lacked the effectiveness he would have liked. Jason Holder has been a welcome boost claiming three scalps in his first match, however, being the major all-rounder, he needs to shine with the bat as well. SRH may still prefer Mujeeb over Holder. Consistency is what SRH need and making bold decisions in terms of picking the best XI is needed.
Probable playing XIs: PBKS vs SRH
Punjab probable playing XI:
KL Rahul (c&wk), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Dawid Malan/Moises Henriques, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Chris Jordan, Ravi Bishnoi/Jalaj Saxena, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh
SRH probable playing XI:
David Warner (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Manish Pandey, Virat Singh, Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mujeeb ur Rahman, T Natarajan/Khaleel Ahmed
Dream11 team prediction (option 1)
Batsmen: KL Rahul, Jonny Bairstow, David Warner, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal
All-rounders: Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Jhye Richardson
Dream11 team prediction (option 2)
Batsmen: KL Rahul, Jonny Bairstow, David Warner, Mayank Agarwal, Shahrukh Khan, Manish Pandey
All-rounders: Deepak Hooda
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Jhye Richardson
Which players can be the top picks in the Dream11 team?
KL Rahul is a must in the line-up. He has been in top form across the last three seasons. He started well against RR and got 91. However, a run-out in the next game cost him his wicket. He responded with a 61 in the third match.
Warner is another player who is a must. He has an excellent record against Punjab and has been SRH’s best performer with the bat.
In the bowling department, Rashid Khan is a must pick. He has claimed four scalps at an excellent economy rate and he is the leader of the bowling unit,
Dream11 fantasy: Captain choices
KL Rahul: Rahul has been IPL’s best batsman for a while now and one can expect him to come alive. He will be hungry and eager to do well after not going on to stay longer in the last match. Punjab’s fortunes rely on Rahul and this bodes well in terms of responsibility.
David Warner: The Australian southpaw and runs go hand in hand. Warner smashed a defiant fifty against RCB and got a 30-plus score against MI. Warner will be keen to get SRH past the line and would want to bat long.
Dream11 fantasy: Vice-captain choices
In terms of vice-captaincy, Bairstow is a sound option. The England white-ball specialist has impressed with the bat and a long inning is due. One can also choose Rashid Khan, who is present in both the fantasy sides mentioned above.
Other choices: Mayank Agarwal, Deepak Hooda, Manish Pandey
Pitch report and conditions
After some low-scoring thrillers, the new deck saw RCB post 204/4 against KKR in the afternoon game. It remains to be seen how things pan out on Wednesday The pitch will assist spinners and good bowling at the death can help sides purchase the maximum. The conditions are set to be hot and humid with temperatures being around 27-34 degree Celsius during the day.
Chepauk stats
Anything above the 160-165 mark will be a tough prospect for teams batting second. Having said that, batsmen need to be wary in the middle and death overs with things slowing down. Spinners will have a say in the game.
Head-to-head record
The two teams have faced each other on 16 occasions. SRH have won 11 games and PBKS have pocketed the remaining 5. These two teams met twice in IPL 2020 and shared the spoils. SRH won the first game by 69 runs before faltering by 10 in the second encounter.
Match prediction
We feel Punjab will get through here. SRH are a painful side to watch after their top-order gets dismissed. Their batting will let them down once again.