CBTFJSK Prediction

Punjab Kings bowler Rahul Chahar celebrates after taking the wicket of Shivam Dube during the Indian Premier League 2024 match in Dharamsala on May 5, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI Even as Chennai Super Kings brought its IPL campaign back on track with a 28-run win against Punjab Kings, concerns remained over its middle-order. At one stage of the game, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell bossed the PowerPlay and it seemed CSK was on course for a 200-plus total, but a middle-order debacle halted the team’s run flow. However, CSK bowling coach Eric Simons wasn’t too concerned about the middle-order failure and hoped things would get better in the upcoming fixtures. “I think we won’t be over-concerned about the middle-order. We know the quality is there and it might not have happened in this game. But as we move forward, we hope to fire again,” Simons said after the game on Sunday. It was the second time in a row that Shivam Dube fell for a golden duck, but the seasoned coach backed the India international. “I don’t think that’s a problem when you have a blip once or twice. That (middle-order) has been our strength. Dube has been incredible but he got out early twice now and that happens. The guys fought hard on the other side and got us to a decent total that we could defend,” Simons said. “We had a few injury issues, and working away from the initial 11-12 has been important. So, for someone like Samarjeet to come in and do what he did tonight was very important. It was obviously his first game and the nerves were there. To get the wickets that did was magical. So, it’s important to make sure that the whole squad is ready because we never know when we are gonna call them.”

Two sides with epic nail-biting wins will clash to see who gets to head the table in their group. Both India and USA had victories over the current runners-up Pakistan, which were nerve jangling affairs. In the two games they have played so far, the USA team have shown not only some fine skills but also great character, which is a hallmark of good temperament. In the opening game of the tournament, they were chasing a near 200 score against their neighbours Canada and at the halfway stage of their chase, it looked like a mountain to climb with no boots on. Whatever was said at the drinks interval by their coach Stuart Law, the former Australian player, must be a magic mantra for after that the pair of Andries Gous and Aaron Jones began to hit sixes as if they were practising range hitting. Jones, in particular, smote the ball far and wide and in such an effortless manner that the Canadian bowlers had no second wind. He is not a big guy, so it was jaw-dropping stuff. He hit 10 sixes. Gous wasn’t far behind as they got to their target with deliveries to spare. Patel and Jones impress Then against Pakistan chasing a good score, the skipper Monank Patel led the way with Jones again deciding to have a batting party. Their temperament was seen in the Super over where they kept their cool and stopped Pakistan well short of the score. India, too, showed they have the burning desire to bring home the trophy with some inspired bowling. Their batters seemed to have forgotten that they were playing on a pitch, which aided the fast bowlers who also had the help of a cloud cover. It is one thing looking to play the big shots on good batting pitches in the IPL and quite another when playing against world class quicks on a pitch made for them. The Indian batters did not cover themselves with glory apart from Rishabh Pant, who led a charmed life and batted with his usual chutzpah and bold way. When it came to defend the paltry total the sun was out in all its glory and there was hardly any swing available but the new ball bowlers kept a good line and length and did not let the Pakistanis get off to a flying start. Still, it was Pakistan’s game to lose and they did it big time by batting dot balls and then playing some silly shots. Bumrah deservedly was the player of the match with his deadly variety, but one mustn’t forget the crucial wickets Pandya took as well as Arshdeep’s cool in the final over. It was a win for the ages. The India-USA game will be between experience and enterprise. It is worth going miles to see. (Professional Management Group)