Kings XI Punjab will be playing for pride when they come out to lock horns against the Chennai Super Kings in their final clash of IPL 2019. Kings XI skipper Ravichandran Ashwin stated that despite the defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders, the team had a good frame of mind which they will look to carry on for the next season. He feels that identifying the mistakes and coming out stronger in the next edition will be the focus for Kings XI Punjab.
After receiving a few thrashings, Kings XI Punjab kept plummeting to the bottom of the points table and are now with zero chance of going through to the playoffs even if they manage to beat the Chennai Super Kings in their final clash. The yellow brigade has played some impressive cricket which has resulted in them winning 9 of the 13 matches they have played so far.
The top and the middle order for Chennai Super Kings have been found out wanting on occasions and it has been a certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has done all the difference for the Chennai Super Kings. The skipper of the franchise has looked in sublime touch with the bat and has handed them some close victory courtesy some special knocks.
The bowling department has augured very well for CSK. The likes of Harbhajan Singh and Mitchell Santner has been used perfectly by Dhoni. Whenever the pitch has offered some assistance for the spinners, Dhoni has gone with Harbhajan and Santner and the duo hasn’t disappointed. Imran Tahir has been the leader of the pack for Chennai.
Kings XI Punjab again faced a similar situation like 2018. After a good start of the competition, Kings XI Punjab has fizzled out and are in no more contention to make it through to the final 4. The opening duo of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul has got them off to good starts. Mayank Agarwal has also done a great job at No 3. However, it has been the middle order which has affected Punjab and has resulted in their ouster from the tournament.
The bowling department has been led brilliantly by the skipper Ravichandran Ashwin himself. The likes of Murugan Ashwin who has bee used sporadically in the tournament has also looked in a good rhythm and has bagged some crucial wickets. Meanwhile, the go-to bowler for Ashwin has been Mohammad Shami who is one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament so far.
Pitch Conditions:
The surface at the PCA Stadium in Mohali has always favoured the batters and it shouldn’t be any different later today. It should be a high scoring game and the team batting first will surely look to get to somewhere around 170. Due to the heat, the pitch might be slightly on the slower side. All in all, it should be a perfect surface for a game of cricket.
Weather Conditions:
It is no brainer that the 55th match of the competition will be a tough battle for the players as it will be a 4 pm start. It is expected to be sultry and the temperature is expected to hover around the 30-35 degrees mark. As of now, there are no chances of rain which guarantees a full 40 overs clash.
Match Prediction
Chennai Super Kings needs a victory in the final match to ensure a top-two finish in the league stage. If KXIP win, then CSK might go down to 3 if Mumbai Indians manages to beat Kolkata Knight Riders in the final group game of the competition. I have a gut feeling that Kings XI Punjab will end the season with a victory over the mighty Chennai Super Kings.