Chennai and Gujarat will lock horns at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 15. Both teams have had a contrasting season so far. The Indian T20 League debutants have become the first team to qualify for the playoffs. On the other hand, the defending champions were knocked out of the top-four race after losing to Mumbai recently. The Gujarat-based franchise would like to ensure a finish at either of the top two spots on the points table. They can do the same by winning the upcoming game. On the other hand, the MS Dhoni-led side would like to salvage some pride by winning their remaining matches.
Team News
Chennai:Â The four-time winners have become the second team to be knocked out of the tournament after Mumbai. Incidentally, they lost to the Men in Blue and Gold in their last game. The Men in Yellow’s batting had no answer to the bowling of the opposition as they were all-out for 97. Their bowlers such as Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh fought back with early wickets but the team was way too short of runs. In the upcoming game, they can try Hari Nishaanth in place of Robin Uthappa, who has blown hot and cold this season.
Key Players:Â
Devon Conway:Â The Kiwi player hit three back-to-back half-centuries since his comeback. In the last game, he was unfortunate to be given out as DRS wasn’t available due to a power cut. He has the ability to provide a great start to the team and could be an important player in the next game.
Mukesh Choudhary:Â The left-arm has made a name for himself after having a tough first few games. He has been the wicket-taker for the team in the powerplay, a responsibility Deepak Chahar has taken in the last few years. He could prove to be a key bowler in the next game.
Probable XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Robin Uthappa/Hari Nishaanth, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Moeen Ali, Dwayne Bravo, Mukesh Choudhary, Maheesh Theekshana, Simarjeet Singh
Team News
Gujarat:Â The Hardik Pandya-led side have won nine games, and are placed at the top of the table with 18 points. They would be looking to win their remaining two games to ensure a top-two finish. This gives them two chances to have a shot at the final. Meanwhile, their strong suit has been their bowling and have won a lot of games because of that. Their batting has been indifferent but has been superb as well. Going into the playoffs, they would want the batters to get some consistency. In the upcoming game, they can give an opportunity to Rahmanullah Gurbaz in place of Matthew Wade
Key Players:Â
Shubman Gill:Â The opening batter has been in decent form with the bat this season. He scored a match-winning half-century against Lucknow in a game where batters from both teams struggled. Thus, he could be an important player in the next game.
Rashid Khan:Â The leg-spinner returned to his best with a four-for in the last game. The Afghanistan player is known to run through batting lineups in the middle overs. He would want to repeat his performance in the upcoming game as well.
Probable XI:Â Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Shami
Match Details
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Pune
Time: 03:30 PM IST
Live Telecast:Â Star Sports Network and Disney+Hotstar
Pitch Report: The last game between Chennai and Mumbai saw pacers from both teams getting help for the first eight overs. This is a rare instance in 20-20 cricket where the ball generally stops swinging after two to three overs. Notably, this game was played during the night time, and the conditions might differ in the upcoming game as it will be played during the day time
