- Match: Bangalore vs Hyderabad, Indian T20 League
- Date: 24th April, 2022
- Time: 07:30 PM IST
- Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
So far, the Indian T20 League 2022 has been a lot of fun, with practically all of the teams being very equally matched. Punjab came into the competition with a star-studded T20 roster and a high-octane mentality, whilst Chennai had an elderly and maybe past-their-prime side. Despite this, the two clubs now ranked 8th and 9th in the Indian T20 League 2022 rankings are separated by only one win.
Will Punjab be able to strike the proper balance of aggressiveness and caution, or will Chennai be inspired by Dhoni's heroics in the last match?
Read on to find match predictions, MyTeam11 fantasy team tips & team previews.
Team Preview
Punjab
Punjab were thrashed by DC on a wicket that aided the spinners a little bit. Given that this will be the Wankhede's third match in four days, we may witness some spin once more. Punjab needs to respond to a few queries about team balance.
Do they want to keep Rabada and Ellis as their two overseas bowlers, or do they want to add some batting cushion by bringing in an all-rounder? Also, Jonny Bairstow hasn't been in great form this season, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa must be getting irritated sitting outside! When is Mayank Aggarwal going to be compelled to make that switch?
Punjab's reliance on Liam Livingstone is alarming since he might struggle if the wickets start to turn. Punjab has already scored five 50-plus runs, three of which have come through Livingstone's bat. He has 226 runs in total, and while Dhawan has 214 as well, the differential in strike rate is remarkable.
Jitesh Sharma has been in excellent form and might be an undervalued guy to back.
The two bowlers who have had the most success for Punjab so far are Rabada and Chahar. For the Top Bowler Punjab fantasy picks, you should pick one of these two. Punjab has a solid bowling unit with Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, and Nathan Ellis in the roster, but it is not one that will rip through sides frequently.
Chennai
Chennai came back from the dead to win against MI thanks to the brilliance of MS Dhoni at the death. That brought them their second win of Indian T20 League 2022 and with the table being so closely packed, they certainly have a chance of making it into the playoffs.
Chennai's batting lineup is also a bit thin and absolutely needs its top order to fire. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa have not been to score in unison this season although both of them have shown sparks of form. Uthappa, in particular, is making the most of batting at the top and has the most runs for Chennai this season.
Santner, Rayadu, Dube, and Jadeja batted in the middle order for Chennai in the previous match. This is a bad batting order that will be placed under a lot of strain. There is a paucity of power, and with three of the four pitchers being left-handed, there isn't much flexibility to design matches.
Chennai's batting order is extremely different from Punjab's in terms of how it has been put together, but if the pitch starts to flip, Chennai may be right in the thick of things.
In this match, we believe Chennai will outscore Punjab on the bowling front. Theekshana, Santner, Bravo, and even Pretorius excel at slowing down and making the most of whatever grip the surface provides. They will be fully aware of Punjab's battles with DC and will want to capitalize on them.
Pitch Report & Conditions
So far, the conditions in Wankhede have been quite batsman-friendly, but for this match, we expect something a little different. As previously stated, this is the third match on the same square in four days (and the second on consecutive days). Despite the fact that the pitches are different, they are so near together that they will be influenced. Sharp spin may be in store as the game progresses, and making the most of the power play will be vital.
Probable Playing XI:
Punjab
Mayank Agarwal (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora
Chennai
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Mitchell Santner/Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja (C), MS Dhoni (wk), Dwaine Pretorius, Dwayne Bravo, Maheesh Theekshana, Mukesh Choudhary
Top Picks for Punjab vs Chennai MyTeam11 Match:
Chennai's inform batsman, Shivam Dube, has scored 239 runs in seven matches at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 161.
Shikhar Dhawan has had a handful of promising beginnings but has unable to convert them. He has an excellent record against this opponent, having scored 214 runs in seven matches.
Liam Livingstone is in excellent form, having scored 226 runs at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 182 in seven outings. He's also capable of bowling a few overs of spin.
Rahul Chahar is enjoying a fantastic season so far, with 10 wickets in seven matches, and the leg spinner bowled brilliantly against this same opponent a few weeks ago.
Dwayne Bravo has 12 wickets at an average of 18 in seven matches and is the go-to death bowler, which will boost his fantasy value.
MS Dhoni once again demonstrated his brilliance by hitting 17 runs in the final over of the game against the Mumbai Indians. He's had a good season, scoring 120 runs in seven matches and only been removed twice.
Suggested Playing XI No.1 for Punjab vs Chennai MyTeam11 Team:
Keeper – Jonny Bairstow
Batsmen – Robin Uthappa, Shikhar Dhawan (c), Mayank Agarwal, Ambati Rayudu
All-rounders – Liam Livingstone, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner
Bowlers – Mukesh Choudhary, Kagiso Rabada, Dwayne Bravo (vc)
Suggested Playing XI No.2 for Punjab vs Chennai MyTeam11 Team:
Keeper – MS Dhoni
Batsmen – Robin Uthappa, Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)
All-rounders – Liam Livingstone, Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Dwaine Pretorius
Bowlers – Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwayne Bravo
MyTeam11 now introduces LIVE fantasy where you can create more teams while the match is going on. So this time, you can Play More & Win More!