IPL 2020 Live Updates: Punjab beat Bangalore by 8 wickets to keep their hopes alive

Punjab edge past Virat Kohli & Co. in an edge-of-the-seat thriller by 8 wickets

Punjab are 161/1 after 17 overs

Punjab are 146/1 after 16 overs

Punjab are 126/1 after 15 overs

Punjab are 123/1 after 14 overs

Punjab are 103/1 after 12 overs

Punjab are 84/1 at the halfway mark

Punjab are 78/1 after 8 overs

Punjab are 55/0 after 5.5 overs

Punjab are 33/0 after 4 overs

Punjab are 5/0 after 2 overs

Punjab are 1/0 after 1

Punjab need 172 runs to win in order to keep their tournament hopes alive

Bangalore are 136/5 in the 18th over

Bangalore are 127/4 after 16 overs

Bangalore are 122/3 after 15 overs

Bangalore are 100/3 after 13.2 overs

Bangalore are 86/3

Bangalore are 83/2 at the halfway mark

Bangalore are 38/0 after 4 overs

Bangalore are 18/0 after 2 overs

Bangalore are 8/0 after 1

Bangalore openers make their way to the middle

The coin falls in Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli's favor and he has elected to bat first

The Dream11 Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season will now move ahead with the 31st match of the tournament as Bangalore will be taking on Punjab at the high-scoring Sharjah venue. The struggling Punjab unit is currently placed at the bottom of the Dream11 IPL 2020 points table as they have managed to win just one game out of their seven matches so far. The KL Rahul-led side will be desperately looking for a win to stay in contention for the playoffs race.

Dream11 IPL 2020: Punjab on the verge of an unwanted IPL record

Through their upcoming game, Punjab will not only be looking to stay in contention for the playoffs race with a much-needed win, but will also be looking to avoid an embarrassing Dream11 IPL record. Back in 2008, Punjab was one of the original eight franchises that took part in the inaugural edition of the tournament. Since then, the franchise has registered 99 defeats across all Dream11 IPL seasons and are currently leveled with Delhi (also 99 defeats).

If the KL Rahul-led side lose their all-important game to Virat Kohli’s Bangalore, they will become the first team in Dream11 IPL history to register 100 defeats. However, if they managed to edge past their opponents on Thursday, the same threat will loom over Shreyas Iyer’s Delhi when they play their next game on Saturday, October 17 against Chennai.

Dream11 IPL 2020: Bangalore vs Punjab weather forecast

The weather in Sharjah on Thursday will be relatively cooler as compared to the last few weeks. According to Accuweather, the temperature for the Bangalore vs Punjab weather forecast is expected to be around 32°C during the commencement of the match. The temperature will reduce considerably during the finishing stages (26°C at around 11:00 PM IST). 

Meanwhile, as per the Bangalore vs Punjab weather forecast, the humidity levels throughout the course of the match will hover around 27-30%, which is relatively lower than the last few days. There will be no cloud cover during the entire match and with no prediction of rains whatsoever, one can expect the entire 40 overs and a fascinating contest at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Dream11 IPL 2020: Bangalore vs Punjab pitch report

According to the Bangalore vs Punjab pitch report, the Sharjah pitch is a batsman's paradise. In the first four matches that have been played at this venue, the teams have scored in excess of 200 on seven occasions. However, during the last couple of games at this venue, teams scored well below 200 which could mean that pitches are now slowing as the tournament is progressing. Bowlers are in for a tough time on this pitch but a change of pace will be key for them to succeed on this surface.  

On the other hand, spinners could have a tough time because of the dew and short boundaries. As per the Bangalore vs Punjab pitch report, the average first innings total in Sharjah in the Dream11 IPL 2020 is 209. Teams batting first at this ground have won five games while the side chasing has won just one. The team winning the toss should opt to bat first, put up a massive total and then defend it.