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IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KKR vs DC Dream11 Prediction Today | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

Kolkata Knight Riders sit in the playoffs spots, but have their performances suggested that they are a top four side?

Let’s paint a picture.

Out of their five wins to date, three of those (vs KXIP, SRH and CSK) they had no business in winning. They looked gone, and pulled a rabbit out the hat. In their five losses, they have lost heavily in four of them, resulting in the worst net run rate of any team in the tournament (-0.828). So, what can we make of KKR? Are they too inconsistent to make the playoffs? Can they recover from an awful batting performance vs RCB?

These questions and more will be answered somewhat today against Delhi Capitals. The high-flying Capitals have overcome a number of injury concerns throughout the campaign so far, and have the chance to regain top spot with a win today. Shreyas Iyer’s men will be looking to make their own bounce back after a loss to Kings XI Punjab, which is important as defeat here will put their top two aim at risk, as well as put them just four points ahead of fifth place with three games remaining as SRH and KXIP do battle after this game.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  • Shikhar Dhawan has hit two unbeaten centuries in a row, after two consecutive half-centuries, to catapult to second place in the Orange Cap race (69*, 57, 101*, 106*).
  • Dhawan hits a half-century every four innings on average vs KKR (six in 24 innings), at an overall average of 29.65 (682 runs). He struck 97* against them last season.
  • Incredibly, Dhawan averages 84.75 against pace in IPL 2020, so KKR could look to open with Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav or Sunil Narine (if fit). Narine has 20 wickets in 15 games vs Delhi (avg. 18.25, SR 6.64).
  • Shreyas Iyer smashed 88* (38) vs KKR at Sharjah earlier this season. Can he produce a strong knock at Abu Dhabi today? The DC captain has made a double-figure score in all 10 games of IPL 2020, so the question is whether he can build on those starts.
  • KKR’s up-and-down middle order means that a lot rests on Shubman Gill to provide a platform. Like Iyer, Gill has made plenty of starts in IPL 2020, with eight double-figure scores in his 10 games (with six scores above 25, two fifties), so KKR need him to carry on today if he gets in.
  • Nitish Rana struck 58 (35) vs DC earlier this season. Eoin Morgan, the new KKR skipper, has a key role to play today. He struck 44 (18) vs DC in their earlier meeting in IPL 2020.
  • Prithvi Shaw is enduring a poor run of form (4, 0, 0 and 7 in his past four innings). However, today could be the day he rediscovers his form as he has a good record vs KKR, with three fifties in four innings against them (4 inns, 241 runs, avg. 60.25, SR 163.95).
  • Dinesh Karthik has had his problems against wristspin in IPL 2020 (18 balls, 14 runs, five dismissals). So, if DC don’t play a wristspinner in their starting XI, Karthik could benefit. Time for DC to play Praveen Dubey?
  • His opposite number, Rishabh Pant, has made scores of 31, 37*, 28, 38, 37, 5 and 14 in IPL 2020. His only single-figure score was a run-out, so DC will want him to build on his starts,
  • The brilliant Kagiso Rabada is showing no signs of slowing down. He is the Purple Cap holder with 21 wickets in 10 games in IPL 2020, and has taken 46 wickets in 22 matches since the start of IPL 2019. Also, he has taken 2/21 and 2/28 in his two games at Abu Dhabi this season.
  • His battle with Lockie Ferguson will be as intriguing as it is impactful. All of a sudden, the Kiwi speedster is arguably KKR’s most important bowler, after leading KKR to a win vs SRH (3/15 and two Super Over wickets). Also, he bowled well in tough circumstances vs RCB (1/17).
  • Anrich Nortje, who was rested last game vs KXIP, could return today. The Proteas’ fast bowler has had a superb tournament so far (12 wickets in nine games), and took 3/33 vs KKR earlier this season.
IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KKR vs DC Dream11 Prediction Today | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report | Weather Report | KOL vs DC Best Dream11 Prediction | KKR vs DC Best Dream11 Team Prediction | DC vs KKR Dream11 Tips and tricks | DC vs KKR Dream11 Team combination | DC vs KKR who will win
IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Preview Dream11: Shubman Gill will be key for KKR.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 26, KKR 13, DC 12, 1 abandoned match.
  • Delhi Capitals have won their past four matches against Kolkata Knight Riders.
  • Shikhar Dhawan has scored 58.22% of DC’s runs in their past two matches.
  • Andre Russell has a good head-to-head record vs DC, but is in doubt with a hamstring problem. In nine games against them, he has smashed 227 runs at a SR of 195.89 (avg. 32.43), along with 13 wickets.
  • Kuldeep Yadav has a decent record vs Dhawan in T20s (37 balls, 34 runs, two wickets). He also has a good record vs Pant in T20s (21 balls, 23 balls, two wickets).
  • Interestingly, DC have not won a game at Abu Dhabi so far in IPL 2020 (two attempts).
  • Rabada and Nortje to dominate the powerplay? KKR have the worst scoring rate at this stage (6.73), and have not finished the powerplay wicketless at all in IPL 2020. DC have taken 17 wickets at this stage, at a SR of 21.18.

Possible Playing 11

Tushar Deshpande had a poor outing against KXIP (two overs for 41 runs). So, given the problems that KKR’s middle order has against legspin, DC could look to bring in Praveen Dubey.

Delhi Capitals: 1. Prithvi Shaw, 2. Shikhar Dhawan, 3. Shreyas Iyer (c), 4. Rishabh Pant (wk), 5. Marcus Stoinis, 6. Shimron Hetmyer, 7. Axar Patel, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Kagiso Rabada, 10. Anrich Nortje, 11. Tushar Deshpande/Praveen Dubey

Sunil Narine reportedly has a niggle and Andre Russell’s hamstring injury is one to watch.

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1. Shubman Gill, 2. Rahul Tripathi, 3. Nitish Rana, 4. Eoin Morgan (c), 5. Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6. Andre Russell/Tom Banton/Sunil Narine, 7. Pat Cummins, 8. Lockie Ferguson, 9. Prasidh Krishna, 10. Varun Chakravarthy, 11. Kuldeep Yadav

Abu Dhabi Pitch and Weather Report

The chasing team has won four of the last five games at Abu Dhabi. However, given that this is a day game, the team that wins the toss could look to bat on a slowish pitch as there will be no dew in the second innings. Also, both teams enjoy defending scores more: four of KKR’s five wins have come batting first in IPL 2020, and out of DC’s seven wins, six have come when batting first.

Dream11 Prediction

Also read: How to create multiple teams in Dream11 and its benefit

Option 1:

IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KKR vs DC Dream11 Prediction Today | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report | Weather Report | KOL vs DC Best Dream11 Prediction | KKR vs DC Best Dream11 Team Prediction | DC vs KKR Dream11 Tips and tricks | DC vs KKR Dream11 Team combination | DC vs KKR who will win
IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KKR vs DC Dream11 Prediction Today | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report | Weather Report | KOL vs DC Best Dream11 Prediction | KKR vs DC Best Dream11 Team Prediction | DC vs KKR Dream11 Tips and tricks | DC vs KKR Dream11 Team combination | DC vs KKR who will win
IPL 2020 Match 42: KKR vs DC Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

KKR’s fortunes could ultimately depend on if one of the star West Indian players can play and perform. Overall, though, Delhi Capitals are in much better form and look more settled. DC to win.

Thanks for reading!

WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Sarthak Karkhanis
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0
WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PS-W vs BH-W Dream11 Prediction Today | Perth Scorchers Women vs Brisbane Heat Women | North Sydney Oval Pitch Report

Around the globe, cricket is slowly but steadily returning back to normalcy as the biggest T20 league in women’s cricket, the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) is all set to begin on Sunday, 25th October, with four matches on the very first day of the league.

The opening match will be played between the 2-time defending champions Brisbane Heat who will lock horns with the Perth Scorchers who finished at the 3rd place last season.

The Brisbane Heat team are chasing a hattrick of titles but this season they have their own set of challenges. The title winning skipper Kirby Short has retired and she will be replaced by Jess Jonassen at the helm. Among the key players, Sammy Jo-Johnson and Beth Mooney have left the franchise and will be playing for Sydney Thunder and Perth Scorchers respectively. Georgia Redmayne will be keeping for the defending champions this season as the gloves are up of grabs with Mooney’s departure.

On the other hand, the Perth Scorchers too have had significant number of changes in their line-up with the addition of Mooney and Sophie Devine strengthening the squad. They will be glad with wrist spinner Sarah Glenn’s arrival but they have lost Meg Lanning to the Melbourne Stars.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  • Sophie Devine, the leading run scorer of the last season of the WBBL, switched sides from Adelaide Strikers to the Perth Scorchers in the pre-season trade. Devine scored 769 runs at an average of 76 and striking at 130 in WBBL 05.
  • Sarah Glenn, the English leg-spinner has picked 22 wickets in T20I career so far (15 games) and will be playing in the WBBL for the first time. She was roped in by the Perth Scorchers.
  • Beth Mooney will ply her trade for the Perth Scorchers in the upcoming season and will face her former side in the first game itself. She was an integral part of the title win of the Heat in the last couple of seasons, and scored 743 runs in 2019.
  • Grace Harris had a below par season in WBBL 05, with the bat as well as the ball, according to her standards but she will be looking to bounce back with a bang in this season. Her batting position will be an interesting point of discussion for the team.
  • Jess Jonaseen took 18 wickets last season as she led the Heat to the title. The all-rounder can contribute with the bat and has already scored 1378 runs in her WBBL career. Also, Jonassen has taken 19 wickets in 14 T20Is in 2020.
  • Amelia Kerr, the White ferns star, can be one of the key players for the Heat with bat and ball. The star all-rounder took nine wickets in her last five games against Australia a few weeks ago (ODIs and T20Is).
WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PS-W vs BH-W Dream11 Prediction Today | Perth Scorchers Women vs Brisbane Heat Women | North Sydney Oval Pitch Report | BH-W vs PS-W Best Dream11 Prediction | WBBL Best Dream11 Prediction
WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Preview Dream11: Will Devine dominate in 2020?

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 11, Brisbane Heat 6, Perth Scorchers 5.
  • Brisbane Heat haven’t won batting first against the Perth Scorchers.
  • Brisbane Heat have won four out of their last five encounters against the Perth Scorchers.
  • The last time these two teams met at this venue was in 2018, when Heat chased down a paltry target of 104 with more than seven overs to spare.

Possible Playing 11

Perth Scorchers: 1. Beth Mooney, 2. Sophie Devine (c), 3. Nicole Bolton, 4. Chloe Piparo, 5. Amy Jones (wk), 6. Heather Graham, 7. Mathilda Carmichael, 8. Jemma Barsby, 9. Samantha Betts, 10. Emma King, 11. Sarah Glenn

Brisbane Heat: 1. Maddy Green, 2. Georgia Redmayne (wk), 3. Jess Jonassen (c), 4. Grace Harris, 5. Amelia Kerr, 6. Laura Harris, 7. Mikayla Hinkley, 8. Nadine de Klerk, 9. Delissa Kimmince, 10. Nicola Hancock, 11. Georgia Prestwidge

North Sydney Oval Pitch and Weather Report

North Sydney Oval is typically a nice batting ground, with a good pitch and short boundaries on offer. Given that the whole tournament will be played in one city (Sydney), the groundstaff could look at keeping some grass on the pitch to be able to handle the amount of traffic that will be on it in the coming weeks.

The average first innings score at this ground in WBBL 2019 was 143, with the chasing team winning three out of four times. Following the tournament, Australia played Sri Lanka in T20Is on this ground, with some high scores made (217 and 226 by Australia).

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PS-W vs BH-W Dream11 Prediction Today | Perth Scorchers Women vs Brisbane Heat Women | North Sydney Oval Pitch Report | BH-W vs PS-W Best Dream11 Prediction | WBBL Best Dream11 Prediction
WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PS-W vs BH-W Dream11 Prediction Today | Perth Scorchers Women vs Brisbane Heat Women | North Sydney Oval Pitch Report | BH-W vs PS-W Best Dream11 Prediction | WBBL Best Dream11 Prediction
WBBL 2020 Match 1: PS-W vs BH-W Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Brisbane Heat have performed well over the years vs Scorchers, but the addition of Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine in the Scorchers team makes them a dangerous team. If those two can fire and lead the way, Scorchers look good for a win.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

How the Gayle inclusion has worked wonders for KXIP

Sarthak Karkhanis
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How the Gayle inclusion has worked wonders for KXIP

How the Gayle inclusion has worked wonders for KXIP | How Chris Gayle’s inclusion has transformed KXIP’s fortunes in IPL 2020 in UAE

With just a solitary victory in the first half of IPL 2020, Kings XI Punjab were languishing at the bottom of the points table. Three rounds later, KXIP is in 6th spot, behind SRH on NRR and with three victories in their past three games. They are the ‘favourites’ according to many for the 4th spot behind the three runaway leaders Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians.

So what sparked the turnaround for a franchise which has qualified for the playoffs on only two occasions in the last 13 years?

There is one prime reason. ‘The Universe Boss’, Christopher Henry Gayle.

Embed from Getty Images

IPL isn’t completely alienated to Gayle’s mid-season entry completely changing his side’s fortunes. It happened in 2011 when RCB replaced Dirk Nannes with the Jamaican Talisman. He announced his arrival with a bang against KKR as he scored an unbeaten century in his 1st game of IPL 2011.

Fast forward to IPL 2020 and in some ways, history repeated itself!

Chris Gayle was benched for the first seven games by KXIP as they had a successful opening combination. Eventually, it led to overdependence on the dynamic duo of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, and KXIP decided to include the greatest player in T20 history to induce some stability in what had been a brittle middle order.

However, the decision to play Gayle at No. 3 did raise some eyebrows, but the 2014 runners-up did have a dilemma. Before the game against RCB, Chris Gayle had played only twice as a non-opener in his IPL career, scoring a grand total of four runs out of the 4484. On the other hand, Agarwal-Rahul partnership was the best in the league and both of them were at the top in the Orange Cap standings.

Just like in 2011, Gayle did play his former franchise, in what can be termed as his comeback game. In a typical Gayle style inning, he started off on a cautious note with just seven runs in 15 balls but later took on the RCB bowling attack. He even hit four sixes against Sundar, in what was termed as an unfavourable match for the West Indian player, given his struggles in the past against off-spinners.

Gayle’s half-century meant that there was an interruption in the usual pattern, as KXIP didnt lose wickets even after a great foundation laid by an opening partnership of 78 runs. Even though he got out in the last over and the match was decided off the last ball, KXIP were always on track with the chase and the burden on Rahul was now shared by a batsman at the other end.

How the Gayle inclusion has worked wonders for KXIP | How Chris Gayle's inclusion has transformed KXIP's fortunes in IPL 2020 in UAE.
KL Rahul looked more stressed in the 1st half of the season, before Gayle was included.

In the following game against MI, Gayle’s presence at 3 meant that after a 33-run stand between the openers, he notched another 42-run stand with Rahul and it meant that the scoreboard always kept ticking.

Against Delhi Capitals, Gayle played a cameo of 29 runs in 13 balls and majority of his runs came against Tushar Deshpande as he scored 25 runs against the pacer. Yet again, the innings ensured that KXIP was ahead of the run-rate and the middle order has another contributor in addition to Nicholas Pooran.

In the first seven matches, KXIP’s No. 3 batsmen had scored 85 runs in seven innings at an average of 14. Gayle’s arrival meant that the number 3 slot was sealed. It was no longer a weakness, but in fact one of the major strengths of the set-up. KXIP still have a long way to go before they can finish in the top 4, but the way Gayle has been bridge between the in-form openers and Nicholas Pooran is the most impressive part.

On his day, Gayle can singlehandedly win a game for KXIP and his consistency so far and in the upcoming games has been and will be reliving sign for the franchise.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

Jason Roy joins the charming line-up of Perth Scorchers this BBL

Charbel Coorey
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Jason Roy joins the charming line-up of Perth Scorchers this BBL

Jason Roy has secured his position in the upcoming KFC BBL season for the Perth Scorchers, which looks to have a splendid batting line-up. The team has completed their roster, adding the ODI World Cup-winning opener along with the bowling additions of Joel Paris and Cameron Gannon.

It will be interesting to see how the players contribute to BBL as England has agreed to tour South Africa for a limited-overs series from late November. After this series, England’s players will be required to quarantine in Australia before they can play in the BBL.

Liam Livingstone had an interaction with Cricket Australia wherein he said Jason Roy is one of the best white-ball batters in the world. “He’s also a very competitive guy, he hates losing, but he plays cricket in the right way. He’ll be a great addition to the Perth team and to have someone like him and bring him into a batting line-up that’s already stacked with a lot of ability, it’ll be a great addition. He’s the kind of man that gives confidence to other players so he’ll be a great addition”, he said.

Jason Roy is a South-African born England cricketer and plays for Surrey Country Cricket Club in domestic cricket. In IPL 2020, the right-hander opted out citing personal reasons and was replaced by Daniel Sams at the Delhi Capitals. He was ruled out of T20I series against Pakistan at home as he had developed a side strain. Previously, Roy contributed to Gujarat Lions in 2017 and in 2018 he was moved to DC.

Fans are looking forward to watching Liam Livingstone and Josh Inglis both right-handed batsmen who have an attacking character on the pitch. “I obviously had a great partnership with ‘Ingo’ at the top of the order last year and if they want to continue with that, great. If they don’t, I’m sure we’ll find our best way to set up our team to win as many games of cricket as possible. I’m pretty happy to do what the team needs me to, wherever that is. Hopefully, I’ve got the skills to be adaptable and it’s something I would pride myself on, that I’m not just bracketed as an opening batter”, Livingstone said.

Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.

Pakistani cricketer Azhar Ali may lose Test captaincy

Charbel Coorey
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Pakistani cricketer Azhar Ali may lose Test captaincy

Noise is growing louder that Pakistani Test captain Azhar Ali’s role as the leader of the team is in danger. According to the PTI report, Azhar has lost favor with an influential member of the cricket committee which has resulted in this development. The right-handed top order batsman was appointed as the captain of the Test format and within 12 months of the job, the team lost two-nil in Australia and one-nil in England.

The final decision hasn’t been taken yet, but the current Test captain has struggled for the past two years in his 81 Test matches. Commentator Wasim Akram, who is also the member of the PCB cricket committee, previously said on Sky Sports, “It will hurt the Pakistan team and the cricket lovers in Pakistan. Winning and losing is part of cricket, but I think our captain missed a trick quite a few times in this game, as far as his leadership is concerned.”

Azhar was appointed as ODI captain after Misbah-ul-haq and Shahid Afridi’s retirement after the 2015 World Cup. After having poor outings in overseas matches he was axed from captaincy in 2017. Now, as per the reports, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam are two potential names for the Test captaincy.

As per ESPNcricinfo, PCB has said the media that Azhar’s annual appraisal is being carried out, and CEO Wasim Khan had already met him. “The final decision, however, hasn’t been made yet as constitutionally, the prerogative to name or dismiss a captain rests with the PCB chairman – who is due to meet Azhar in the next 10 days”, says the report.

Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.

IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | CSK vs MI Dream11 Prediction Today | Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

By this stage of the season, an MI-CSK matchup is usually a battle at the top of the IPL table. This season, however, the stakes are different, as Chennai Super Kings‘ season hangs by a thread.

There have been some key reasons as to why CSK have endured a poor season to date. One of them has been their lack of impact in the mdidle and death overs with the bat, which was highlighted most by their tame effort last time out against Rajasthan Royals. And, while their season remains alive – just – the disappointment in MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming’s voices after that defeat is a worrying sign. So, the question is do CSK believe that they can keep their playoffs record alive?

To do that, they will have to beat the magnificent Mumbai Indians, just as they did in the IPL 2020 opener. However, lots has changed since then, with MI displaying the consistency and quality possessed by true champions. The Rohit Sharma-led side has won six of eight matches since that defeat, with both losses only coming via Super Overs. So, they have the chance here to build on a great record in a great rivalry to go top of the table, and end CSK’s season in the process.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  • Rohit Sharma appeared to have picked up a slight niggle in MI’s last match against KXIP. If he plays, he will be out to build on his record vs CSK, where he has the most runs in MI-CSK matches, out of current squad members (658, avg. 31.33, SR 128.02).
  • Quinton de Kock is in terrific form. The South African keeper-batsman has hit four half-centuries in his last five knocks (67, 23, 53, 78* and 53).
  • MS Dhoni’s less-than-average season has really hurt CSK. His strike rate of 125 in IPL 2020 is his lowest in a season since 2015 (122). So, with his team’s season on the line, can he deliver the goods against a team he has had past success against? (627 runs for CSK vs MI, avg. 36.88, SR 137.80).
  • Kieron Pollard is having some season. The West Indian superstar has not been dismissed since the opening game against CSK, and is striking at exactly 200 in IPL 2020. Also, Pollard has a fine record vs CSK, with 520 runs at 32.50 and SR 163.52.
  • With Dwayne Bravo out of the tournament with injury (details here), this further increases the Pollard threat as CSK have lost a key death bowler.
  • Suryakumar Yadav has failed in his last two games (10 and 0) after hitting two consecutive fifties (79* and 53). Today, he plays a team whom he has a strong record against for MI: 6 inns, 249 runs, avg. 49.80, SR 129.02.
  • Ambati Rayudu struck 71 against MI earlier this season. Also, CSK need Rayudu to carry on with his starts (30, 42, 41, 45* and 13 in his last five games).
  • Shane Watson, who hasn’t had the same impact as previous seasons, averages below 20 for CSK vs MI (19.29). So, there is no better time than now for the Aussie to deliver the goods. His opening partner, Faf du Plessis, struck 58* (44) vs MI earlier this season, and is fourth in the Orange Cap race in IPL 2020 (375 runs).
  • Ishan Kishan suffered what looked like a serious hamstring injury last game vs KXIP. So, Saurabh Tiwary could come back into the team. Tiwary hit 42 (31) vs CSK earlier this season.
  • Hardik Pandya has a strike rate of 152.58 vs CSK (148 runs, avg. 37.00). He will be a key factor in the middle and death overs.
  • Sam Curran is striking at just 108 as opener, so CSK could look to play him as a floater.
  • Ravindra Jadeja has the second-most wickets for CSK vs MI (17 in 20 games). However, Jadeja has had a poor season with the ball (four wickets in 10 matches), with his greatest impact coming with the bat (121 runs in last five innings, one dismissal, SR 180.60).
  • Jasprit Bumrah has been magnificent in IPL 2020. MI’s star bowler has taken 15 wickets in nine matches to date, including 12 in his past six matches.
  • Trent Boult had a tough outing last game vs KXIP, so will be keen to bounce back. He has taken 12 wickets in nine matches in IPL 2020.
  • Deepak Chahar has taken nine wickets in seven matches against MI, including 2/32 against them earlier this season.
  • Will Imran Tahir finally play? He has seven wickets in six matches vs MI.
IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | CSK vs MI Dream11 Prediction Today | Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report | CSK vs MI Best Dream11 Prediction | CSK vs MI Dream11 Team Today | CSK vs MI How to pick Dream11 Team | MI vs CSK Who will win | MI vs CSK Which players to pick for Dream11 | CSK vs MI Dream11 Team Combination
IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Preview Dream11: Can du Plessis rediscover his early season form?

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-Head: Matches 31, CSK 13, MI 18.
  • Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings four times in IPL 2019. CSK won the first game of IPL 2020 vs MI by five wickets.
  • Jasprit Bumrah has an excellent record vs Shane Watson (avg. 23.5, SR 87) and MS Dhoni (avg. 15.7, SR 92). Also, Bumrah needs three wickets to reach 100 in IPL and 200 in T20s overall.
  • The economy rate of spinners in the last four games at Sharjah is 7.5, compared to the first four games where it was a high 10.5. This brings the likes of Rahul Chahar in the game (11 wickets in nine games in IPL 2020), and further enhances the case for CSK to play Imran Tahir.

Possible Playing 11

Dwayne Bravo is out for the remainder of IPL 2020 due to injury (details here). CSK chose to replace him Josh Hazlewood last time out, instead of Imran Tahir. Is this the game where Tahir finally gets a game?

Also, Kedar Jadhav is not offering much for CSK, as he is batting below the all-rounders. So, a youngster could come into the top order, with Sam Curran dropping back down the order as a floater.

Chennai Super Kings: 1. Faf du Plessis, 2. Shane Watson, 3. N Jagadeesan/Ruturaj Gaikwad, 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. MS Dhoni (c & wk), 6. Sam Curran, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Deepak Chahar, 9. Shardul Thakur, 10. Karn Sharma/KM Asif, 11. Josh Hazlewood/Imran Tahir

If MI decide to rest Rohit Sharma, then Chris Lynn could come in for his first game of IPL 2020 and Kieron Pollard would take over as captain. If Lynn plays, then MI will need to replace another overseas player with an Indian player. That would be Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Also, Ishan Kishan is at long odds to play after he was helped off the field in what looked to be a torn hamstring injury vs KXIP.

Mumbai Indians: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Rohit Sharma (c)/Chris Lynn, 3. Suryakumar Yadav, 4. Saurabh Tiwary, 5. Hardik Pandya, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7. Krunal Pandya, 8. Nathan Coulter-Nile/Dhawal Kulkarni, 9. Rahul Chahar, 10. Trent Boult, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

Sharjah Pitch and Weather Report

After scores of 200+ in all of the first four matches at Sharjah in IPL 2020, there have been no 200+ scores in four matches since. Spinners have started to enjoy a little more success, and the chasing team has won each of the last two matches at this ground. So, with dew around, the captain who wins the toss could look to chase, despite CSK’s chasing worries in 2020.

Dream11 Prediction

Also read: How to create multiple teams in Dream11 and its benefit

Option 1:

IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | CSK vs MI Dream11 Prediction Today | Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report | CSK vs MI Best Dream11 Prediction | CSK vs MI Dream11 Team Today | CSK vs MI How to pick Dream11 Team | MI vs CSK Who will win | MI vs CSK Which players to pick for Dream11 | CSK vs MI Dream11 Team Combination
IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

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IPL 2020 Match 41: CSK vs MI Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

It is a common saying that a franchise like CSK should never be written off. However, MI look far more settled, and are in much better form. MI to win.

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5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020

Debashish Sarangi
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5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020

5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020 | Why has CSK performed poorly in IPL 2020? | 5 reasons why CSK have played badly in 2020

The biggest T20 league in the world, the IPL, is nearing its business end. There have been some stellar individual as well as team performances so far in this season.

However, one of the most surprising results becoming the talk of the town these days is the rare failure of the most consistent team in the history of the league, the Chennai Super Kings. Although CSK started the campaign in grand style by defeating arch-rivals Mumbai Indians, the rest of the tournament has been miserable for them. They are currently placed at the bottom most position in the points table. In this article, I will throw some light on what has gone wrong for this giant side in this season. Here we go.

1. Withdrawal of Suresh Raina

5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020 | Why has CSK performed poorly in IPL 2020? | 5 reasons why CSK have played badly in 2020
5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020: Suresh Raina has been a big loss for CSK in IPL 2020.

Fondly known as “Mr. IPL” for his extraordinary performances in the mega event, Suresh Raina withdrew himself from the campaign just before the start of the IPL. If I go by stats, Raina averages almost 38 and strikes at a rate of almost 137 in the three seasons where CSK were crowned as champions. It shows how crucial a player he is for CSK to be successful. Moreover, he used to bat at the most vital position, i.e. the no. 3 spot for them and thus used to bring balance to the lineup to a great extent. In the absence of Raina, CSK have made experiments in their batting lineup to find the perfect balance and have been unable to do that so far.

2. Lack of firepower from Shane Watson & MS Dhoni

5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020 | Why has CSK performed poorly in IPL 2020? | 5 reasons why CSK have played badly in 2020
5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020: Shane Watson has scored runs, but not at the same rate as previous seasons.

If we look at the batting unit of CSK, Shane Watson holds the key for them to have a blistering start. He performed brilliantly for them in the season 2018 by amassing 555 runs at an average of 39.64 with a great SR of 154.60, thus playing the leading role in CSK becoming the champions.

But in this season, he has an overall SR of a modest 125. Moreover, his SR is mere 107 in the powerplay overs so far (109.7 while chasing and 96.15 while batting first) which clearly indicates that he has been unable to provide that explosive start once he used to do. I feel this is one of the main reasons why CSK have failed to score big while batting first or get a fine start while chasing on majority of the occasions. Mind you, they have failed to chase totals of below 170 runs thrice so far in this season.

Also, inspirational MS Dhoni has been unable to find his best touch this season, in the crucial position of finisher for CSK. He has struck at just 125 in IPL 2020, and has occasionally came in too late after sending himself to bat at number seven.

3. Absence of Imran Tahir from the Playing XI

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When it was announced that the IPL would be taking place in UAE this season, we all had expected Imran Tahir to be a prime contender for the Purple Cap this season, hadn’t we?

Tahir has picked 32 wickets from 23 games at an average of 19.34 and SR of a mere 15.94 for CSK. This speaks volumes for his wicket-taking ability. Statistically, Tahir took 24 wickets out of his 26 wickets in the middle overs last season and thus he was undoubtedly the best man for CSK in that particular phase.

In the absence of Tahir, all the CSK bowlers have picked 20 wickets in the middle overs combined (13 in 7 lost games and 7 in 3 won games), out of which the wickets picked by their spinners is just 12 from 10 matches. So it shows the lack of wicket taking ability of CSK bowlers in the middle overs, which ultimately has resulted in the batsman of the opposition getting set and wreaking havoc at the death. So I must say CSK not going with Imran Tahir has seriously made their bowling unit defensive.

4. Performance of CSK batsmen during the middle overs, and its consequences at the death

5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020 | Why has CSK performed poorly in IPL 2020? | 5 reasons why CSK have played badly in 2020
5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020: Kedar Jadhav has really struggled in IPL 2020.

Middle overs, i.e. overs 7-15, consist of a really critical phase in T20 cricket. While the batting teams need to score at a decent pace, they also remain cautious of not losing too many wickets in this period.

The basic plan of CSK has been to chase over the years. But, CSK have lost five games out of seven while chasing this year. If I consider their five unsuccessful chases, the average run rate of CSK batsmen (am not considering extras bowled by bowlers of the opposition) is just 6.62 in the middle overs. In this process, their dot-ball percentage is 32.59 and the number of balls consumed to hit one boundary is nine.

This suggests they have done below average in the middle overs while chasing. As a result, they have faced an extra amount of pressure regarding the required run rate in the death overs and consequently have fallen short of the target.

5. Lack of quality backup options for first-choice players

If you look at the CSK team closely, they have a fixed set of players. But, what if someone from that core gets injured or unavailable? Do they have equally effective backups?

The answer is no.

In the auction prior to the tournament, they bought some extra bowling options including Sam Curran who can bat. But when Raina withdrew himself, they didn’t pick any batsman as a replacement for him despite having limited number of pure batters in the squad. So when Rayudu got injured, they didn’t have a quality option to fill the void. They were bound to go with their non-performing players in some games as they didn’t have great options. In order to be successful in every situation, you must have equally good backups for your first choice players. So, that is one of those several reasons for their abysmal performance this year.

These five reasons are what I think have halted the progress of the Chennai Super Kings in this season. Nevertheless, we all know what CSK are capable of as a team. So, I consider it as a rare bad season for CSK, as their playoff hopes for 2020 hang by a thread. Have a read and share your opinions!

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.

5 Reasons for the Downfall of CSK in IPL 2020 | Why has CSK performed poorly in IPL 2020? | 5 reasons why CSK have played badly in 2020

Dhoni wrote notes on his thigh-pads before batting: S Bangar

Charbel Coorey
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Dhoni wrote notes on his thigh-pads before batting: S Bangar

MS Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket before starting this 13th IPL season after taking a year-long break after the 2019 World Cup. Dhoni’s contribution to the Indian cricket team and his mark at the international level is unmatched. Apart from being a classic finisher, he has won all ICC tournaments during his captaincy. This year his IPL team hasn’t performed well, and Chennai Super Kings are at the bottom position in the point table.

Recently, former cricketer Sanjay Bangar, who was once the batting coach of the national team said that Dhoni used to make notes so that he would read them before heading to bat. In an interaction for Star Sports, Bangar said, “I came to know recently as to how – in his formative years because he is such a hitter of the ball, has that natural ability to clear – Dhoni curbed his natural instinct. He used to write on his thigh pad – 1, 2 – Tick Tick and 4, 6 – Cross Cross. So, every time he would go out to bat, and he’d be putting on his thigh pad, he’d probably have a look at that. It would remind him that he has to follow a process. And that is how by running those one and two he became such a great finisher”, he stated.

Bangar compared him with Michael Bevan, who was Australia’s left-hand batsman who performed the role of a finisher for his team. “Both the cricketers were aware of the effectiveness of running between the wickets. Most finishers in world cricket have realised the importance of singles, doubles. You look at Michael Bevan, look at MS Dhoni. They have this thing in common, which helps them win cricket matches. It’s not those fours and sixes. And that is the process that MS Dhoni follows,” he added.

CSK fans had a disappointing IPL season this year as the team is at the bottom. They are only team who have qualified in the playoffs in all IPL editions they have participated in, until now.

Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.

Cameron Green is going to be a superstar: Ashton Agar

Charbel Coorey
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Cameron Green is going to be a superstar: Ashton Agar

Cameron Green scored his career-best 197 against New South Wales in the recently-completed Sheffield Shield match. Green has scored four centuries since the start of last season and is currently the leading run-scorer in the new season. His Western Australian teammate, Ashton Agar, backed the young lad, saying the 21-year old is ready for international cricket.

“He’s got a great cricket brain,” Agar said. “They threw everything at him out there: bouncer plan, bowling wide channel, attacking the stumps, Nathan Lyon bowling a lot of overs – the best spinner in the world – and he had a really solid plan for everyone he faced. Even talking to him in the middle, he’s really calm and composed”.

Australian head coach Justin Langer was hesitant about promoting Cameron Green too early especially after his lingering back problem. “It would be hard not to hear a bit of hype,” Agar said, “but all I know is when he’s out on the cricket field, he’s just watching that ball as hard as he can. He loves batting, loves playing cricket and the scary part is that he’s not bowling at the moment. He’s a great bowler when he’s up and running. To be able to play as a top-four batsman and a frontline fast bowler is a great combination”, said Agar while talking to ESPN network.

Nathan Lyon, an Australian bowler who delivered close to 15 overs to Green says that he was very impressive in his spell. “Last time I saw him we had the big three quicks Starc, Hazlewood, and Cummins bowling at him. So today is a different story, but obviously very impressive. He’s very clear in his plans, played spin very well. He has a big future. It was really good to see, actually. He’s 21 and not flustered by anything. Under pressure, he looked calm and clear in his plans. You’ve got to give credit where it’s due and he definitely deserves that.”

Green had hit 20 boundaries and one sixes in his 438-ball knock.

Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.

Dwayne Bravo ruled out of IPL due to groin injury

Charbel Coorey
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Dwayne Bravo ruled out of IPL due to groin injury

Dwayne Bravo ruled out of IPL due to groin injury | CSK seamer Dwayne Bravo has been ruled out for the rest of IPL 2020

Chennai Super Kings is having a tough time in IPL 2020 and now their trusted all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo, has been ruled out of the remainder of the season due to a groin injury. The franchise confirmed it on Twitter for the fans.

“It’s sad news, it’s sad to be leaving my team CSK. To all our CSK fans, I want you all to keep encouraging the team, keep supporting, all the true die-hard CSK fans,” Bravo said in a video message.

The right-arm medium-fast pacer couldn’t bowl the last over agaisnt Delhi Capitals when they had to defend 17 runs. For someone like Bravo it was a cake walk to bowl in death overs but due to sudden injury, Ravindra Jadeja bowled the over and Axar Patel scored the winning runs with three sixes and one double. Bravo was out of IPL in the first five matches due to knee injury that he developed from CPL where he played for the winning team Trinbago Knight Riders.

The team has earned only six points in 10 matches that brings them to the bottom of the table. CSK is playing for the spirit of the game with less hope of entering the playoff matches. “This wasn’t a season we expected or our fans wanted, but we gave it our best. Sometimes, despite giving our best, the results don’t show. Keep supporting us and I can guarantee you we’re going to come back stronger and better like champions. One of the most successful franchises, I feel we should be proud to be members and fans of CSK”, Bravo said.

According to ESPNCricinfo reports, CSK’s Chief Executive officer Kasi Viswanathan said that 2020 season has been a hard pill to swallow. “We know that we have the team which can do well better than what we have done now. We have the potential to do better, but somehow or the other we have not been able to perform to the expectations of not only the fans but also ourselves till now”, he said.

Viswanathan assured the fans that the team will end the season on a better note. “We still have four more games. The team is very keen. The dressing-room atmosphere is very good. That is the most important thing even now – they want to come back and fight. That is because the coaching staff and the captain have really taken up the team’s cause very seriously. I am still hopeful that the team will do well”, he said.

Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.

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