Preview: CSK vs KXIP

What

The Chennai Super Kings look to win their first game at home against a Kings XI Punjab who have lost their first three matches in a row

When

Sunday, March 21, 8pm

Where

MA Chidambaram Stadium. The Stadium played host to the Chennai Super Kings in their first match. CSK faithfuls would be hoping for nothing less than a victory to keep them in the top four of the table.

The Protagonists

Chennai Super Kings are still missing their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni due to an injury, but appear to be at great ease and comfort with Raina handling the reins of the team. The Super Kings, even without their talismanic Dhoni, are a formidable unit.

Hayden, Raina and Kemp are batsmen who wield the willow like an axe, and in Morkel, Gony, Muralidaran and Balaji, they have bowlers who can get the ball to spit fire and dance in any way they please.

The Kings XI Punjab side is desperately looking for their first win in the tournament. No department lacks in firepower. Yuvraj, Sangakkara and Jayawardene are batsmen who can turn the tide of any match, while Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla have what it takes to come out on top.

What next?

It’s an upper versus lower half of the table clash here. The Chennai Super Kings would want to continue with their winning ways, after comprehensively defeating the Knight Riders and the Daredevils in Kolkata and Delhi respectively.

The Kings XI Punjab are desperately looking to end their losing rut. Irfan Pathan’s heroics in the last match almost got them over the line, but sensible bowling changes by Gilchrist in the death over tilted the balance back in the favour of his side. Adrian Barath is back in the side for them, but the services of Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh and James Hopes are still missing. The Kings would be looking to fire on all cylinders to break their losing streak and fuel their semi-final hopes.