It is the second afternoon fixture in this IPL 2021, and two out-of-form teams Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad go head to head. These two teams are lying at the bottom of the points table, with SRH occupying the eighth position.
Punjab have a win and two losses to their name, and it could’ve easily been three losses out of three for them. They won a high-scoring one where they racked up 221 batting first against Rajasthan Royals. Sanju Samson’s hundred almost took the game away, but Punjab held their nerve to register a four-run win.
But since then, PBKS have lost their way. The bowling has been lacklustre, and apart from Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh, it has looked toothless. The spinners haven’t been threatening enough neither have the Australian pace duo of Riley Meredith and Jhye Richardson. KL Rahul’s batting approach in the last game against Delhi Capitals can be questioned as well, as he scored 61 off 51 balls on a flat batting surface. Thus, time is running out for Punjab, and they need to step up big time.
SRH have been in excellent positions in each of their three run-chases, but they have managed to bottle it up somehow. What’s more is that the David Warner-led side hasn’t lost by big margins, and each of their losses has been less than 15 runs. The top-order has set it up in each of the three games, but the inexperienced middle-order hasn’t come to the party.
The bowling hasn’t been at its best either. While Rashid Khan has been magnificent from one end, the other bowlers have leaked quite a bit from the other end. They have leaked a lot of runs at the death as well, and that has cost them games as well. Hence, both sides will be looking to resurrect their campaign.
Key Players
KL Rahul has been batting well, and he has got two half-centuries in three games so far. However, the Punjab skipper will need to up the ante at the start of the innings. Given the pitch in Chennai gets slower and slower, Rahul might need to not only bat through but also provide some impetus at the top of the innings and make full use of the fielding restrictions in the first six overs. Thus, Rahul’s intent and strike rate, especially at the start of the innings, will be key for PBKS.
Chris Gayle might be a crucial player for PBKS in this game. The Universe Boss hasn’t really taken off, and barring that 40 in the first game, he has looked slightly out of sorts. However, his match-up with Rashid Khan might be critical. Gayle has a solid record against Rashid – 87 runs at a strike rate of 177.55, and he has been dismissed thrice as well. Thus, with the Chepauk track being slow, Gayle’s ability to hit boundaries in the middle overs will be key.
Jonny Bairstow has been striking the ball beautifully and has been in top form with the bat. He scored heavily in the ODI series against England and has continued that form in this IPL 2021. The England top-order batsman batted at No. 4 and scored a fluent half-century. It was his innings that kept SRH in the game against KKR while chasing 188. In the last game against MI, Bairstow moved back to the top of the order and smashed a 22-ball 43 to lay the foundation, but SRH couldn’t get over the line. Thus, Bairstow is going to be critical once again for SRH.
Rashid Khan is bowling beautifully in this tournament. The Afghanistan leg-spinner picked up two wickets in each of the first two games – 2/24 against KKR and 2/18 against RCB. He did go wicketless in the game against MI but was very economical. Moreover, Rashid has an excellent record against the likes of KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran. Thus, he will be a vital player for SRH as they look to get first points on board.
Prediction
Sunrisers Hyderabad are well ahead as far as the head to head record is concerned. They have ended up winning 11 games, while the Punjab Kings have just five wins over SRH. In the last three years, it’s been a more even contest with both sides winning three games each – one game apiece every season.
SRH may have started off poorly and have three losses. But they have the firepower to turn things around. Their top-order is fiery, while if they can add Kane Williamson to the mix in the middle, their middle-order woes could get resolved to some extent. Moreover, the bowling has been slightly off-colour, and they will be hoping to hit their straps soon.
Punjab’s weaknesses are a little more glaring. Their bowling hasn’t come to the party yet and have conceded a lot of runs. The overseas pace duo hasn’t fired, and that lower middle-order is still a cause of concern. Thus, SRH may be slight favourites heading into this contest.
