IPL 2021, Match 8, PBKS vs CSK: Preview, probable XI, match prediction, live streaming, weather forecast, and pitch report

Punjab Kings take on Chennai Super Kings in match eight of the Vivo IPL 2021 on Friday, April 14, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The newly christened Punjab Kings come off a narrow four-run victory over the Rajasthan Royals that exposed some weaknesses in their bowling attack while also highlighting their fighting spirit.

CSK, meanwhile, put on an average batting show and were steamrolled by the Delhi Capitals, who coasted to a seven-wicket win due to some ineffective bowling and dropped catches.

KL Rahul, Chris Gayle and Deepak Hooda, who batted at number four, powered PBKS to 221/6. With the ball, new signings Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith showed signs of brilliance but were expensive overall.

However, their Indian bowling options in Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh bowled well to somehow get them a win despite Sanju Samson's heroic hundred.

Punjab will look to avoid the mistakes they committed last season by constantly changing their playing XI. They should respect the abilities of Meredith and Richardson and give them time to adapt to subcontinental conditions.

Jonty Rhodes would also have some harsh words to say about their fielding that almost cost them the game. Samson was dropped on 12 by skipper KL Rahul.

CSK, on the other hand, will need to score more runs at the top. A powerplay score of 33/2 pretty much says what went wrong with their batting, as they were short of a competitive total by at least 15-20 runs.

Suresh Raina made an impressive comeback for them, and their middle-order helped with some handy contributions. However, the positives in their batting were nullified by ineffective bowling and fielding.

DJ Bravo was the only bowler to escape unscathed from the onslaught by Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan. Both Deepak Chahar and Sam Curran found it hard to bowl with the new ball due to the minimal swing on offer, and it'll be interesting to see how they'll bowl to the PBKS openers.

CSK beat Punjab comprehensively in both of these sides' meetings last season, but it looks like KL Rahul's side have strengthened their ranks. Expect an exciting encounter between bat and ball at the Wankhede between two entertaining sides.

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IPL 2021: PBKS vs CSK Match Details

Date: April 16, 2021 (Friday).

Time: 7:30 PM IST.

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

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Weather Forecast

It should be another warm and clear day in Mumbai, with an average temperature of around 31 degrees celsius. No rain interruptions are likely, while dew could play a part later on.

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Pitch Report

Wankhede has been great to bat on, with the ball coming on to the bat nicely. Captains winning the toss should elect to chase since the dew will make it harder for the bowlers in the second innings. 190-200 should be the total that teams should look to get batting first.

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Predicted XIs

Chennai Super Kings

Moeen Ali batted well at No.3 and was unlucky not to pick up a wicket. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20.com)

Despite their loss, CSK could opt to stick with the same playing XI, as better execution with the ball could've yielded a different result.

With Ngidi and Behendorff unlikely to feature in this game, Sam Curran and Deepak Chahar will look to bowl better with the new ball.

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf Du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C/WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, DJ Bravo, Shardul Thakur, and Deepak Chahar.

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Punjab Kings

Deepak Hooda was simply sensational batting at number four

The Punjab Kings should rightly stick to the team that won them the game against the Royals. They have some exciting uncapped players in Arshdeep Singh, Shahrukh Khan and, of course, Deepak Hooda, who'll all look to deliver another solid performance this game.

Riley Meredith and Jhye Richardson are likely to receive the team's backing despite their sub-par first outing.

Punjab Kings: KL Rahul (C/WK), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, and Arshdeep Singh.

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IPL 2021: PBKS vs CSK Match Prediction

With the likes of Deepak Hooda and Arshdeep stepping up, Punjab certainly looks the more balanced side when compared to CSK.

MS Dhoni's men still don't seem to have settled on their best team combination yet, and their slow starts in the powerplay look like they could cost them another game.

Prediction: Punjab Kings to win.

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IPL 2021: PBKS vs CSK TV and Live Streaming Details

TV: Star Sports Network.

Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar VIP.