PBKS vs CSK 53rd Match Prediction

PBKS vs CSK Team Previews

Punjab Kings

PBKS is going to be very confident going into this match against CSK. Not only did they won comprehensively against them just a few days back but they are rediscovering some late form in the tournament. Two wins on the trot including a record breaking 262 chase will fuel hopes that they can continue this run. 

Prabhsimran Singh and Jonny Bairstow are both firing at just the right time. Both of them have an excellent strike-rate at the top but their consistency is not where it needs to be. As a result, you can expct a fast start but an early loss of a wicket or two with PBKS is never a surprise. 

This is where batting depth comes into the picture. 

PBKS has discovered two Indian batters that are excellent in the middle order. Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma are showing that they can be relied upon the clear the boundaries at all stages of the match. With Jitesh Sharma, Sam Curran, and Rilee Rossouw also in the lineup, PBKS can be secure they have the batting resources to attack from the wword go. 

This is something that could trip up a CSK bowling lineup that will be missing a number of its first choice players. 

On the bowling front, PBKS has its own problems. Sam Curran has been quite ineffective this season and Kagiso Rabada has also been very expensive. Harshal Patel's variations are well known to everyone at this point and he is also suffering on the flat tracks. 

Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar are the two bowlers that are likely to be able to exert some control over proceedings. 

Chennai Super Kings

CSK is sliding down the points table and may find itself in a scrap for the final qualifying position. Just one win in its previous four matches and just one win away from home all season point to some serious problems in its team composition. 

A number of its first choice bowlers including Mustafizur Rahmana and Deepak Chahar are uinavailable for selection. Tushar Deshpande is expected to be back but the brunt of the bowling responsibility will have to be borne by Matheesh Pathirana.

He had a good game against PBKS in the previous match and might be a good pick for the Top Bowler CSK betting market. The rest of the bowling attack is weak and can be taken for runs. 

CSK's batting has been good in parts but the dependency on Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube is apparent. We don't rate Ravindra Jadeja as a world-class batter at all, Ajinkya Rahane is not good enough as an opener, and MS Dhoni is also limited to playing small cameos. 

Daryl Mitchell is the only other genuine match winner in this lineup. 

We see CSK struggling to match PBKS in batting strength unless one of Gaikwad or Dube has a brilliant game.