Preview and Live Streaming of IPL 2010 match Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings at Dharmasala

Tick tick 54. The third game from last in the league stage in a tournament, which has yet to see three of its four semi-finalists get decided.

And even the result of this match between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab at the much cooler climes of Dharamshala will probably not clarify the situation; it will need much more than that!

Talking of the points table after the 53^rd game of the tournament, in which Rajasthan joined Punjab in the sidelines, the fight for the second, third and the fourth place – after Mumbai had so gloriously claimed the first – seemed to have gotten more intense after the Royal Challengers Bangalore were crushed to a 57-run defeat. This meant that their net run-rate suffered enough for them to have a more than decent chance to even bow out of the tournament.

What this game between Chennai and Punjab will obviously do is to clarify the situation a tad further. If Chennai lose, it will be Bangalore, Deccan and Delhi going through to the semi-finals, unless Kolkata can conjure up a 100-run or so win against Mumbai. However, if Chennai do beat Punjab, it will make for an interesting viewing. Chennai will then join the some of the rest with 14 points and with a net run-rate better than Bangalore’s! However, that would also mean that the game between the Delhi Daredevils and the Deccan Chargers becomes a virtual quarter-final, with the winner joining Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai in the semi-finals!

Punjab had played at Dharamshala earlier this week, and found out that unlike the rest of the pitches elsewhere in the country, a target of 170 plus was chaseable. Mahela Jayawardene’s 90 was usurped by a calm and collected half century by Rohit Sharma and that pushed the side back. Chennai also go into the game with a loss under their belt, as they went down in a low-scoring game to Delhi – again, thanks to one man batting through for the opposition; Gautam Gambhir.

Team News:

They have carried Matthew Hayden through the duration of the tournament, and I trust MS Dhoni to continue playing him in this game as well. Especially given Hayden’s rack record to turn corners in last games of the series – remember Oval in 2005? But on a more serious note, Dhoni will not want to make any drastic changes to the side in such a must-win encounter, apart from looking at Michael Hussey.

Hussey has had a below-par tournament so far, and looked as out of water as hydrophobic dog. On the other hand, the pitch is not too big on spin and getting in Muthiah Muralitharan to join the likes of R Ashwin or Shadab Jakati may not make too much sense for the Super Kings.

Punjab has already crashed out of the tournament, and will look to go out there and enjoy, and play for that so-called pride (something that they should have done from the very start, one feels). Juan Theron had an okayish outing last time, but with Brett Lee out of reckoning, he should continue to remain in the side. The bigger worry from an Indian perspective would be for Piyush Chawla and his injury; he had dived at the boundary and tipped the ball over the bar and fallen on his shoulder. He could well be rested and Ramesh Powar brought into the side.

Head-to-Head:

At the start of the tournament, it was 5-0 to Chennai! And the Super Kings had an easy chance to make it six to nothing, instead, in the previous game between the two sides, Chennai gave away a game that was clearly theirs, in a thrilling Super Over of a contest.

The Odds Checker:

Chennai are the favourites to win this one, though, one would like to believe not by the kind of margin the bookies are talking of – 8/11 (Stan James) for the visitors to put it across the Punjab side, who go into the game at 11/8 (888Sport)!

You can also watch the DLF IPL cricket match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings at Dharmala live online on YouTube.

You can also watch the DLF IPL cricket match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings at Dharmala live on Set Max.

You can follow the live commentary and live score of the IPL cricket match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings at Dharmala here.

Related posts:

1. Preview and Live Streaming of IPL 2010 match Kings XI Punjab v Deccan Chargers at Dharmasala
2. Preview and Live Streaming of IPL 2010 match Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils at Chennai
3. Preview and Live Streaming of IPL 2010 match Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings at Nagpur
4. Preview and Live Streaming of IPL2010 match Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings at M Chinnaswamy, Bangalore
5. Preview and Live Streaming of IPL 2010 match Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab at Mohali

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Posted by Sam on Apr 18 2010. Filed under Match Highlights. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry