IPL 2020 LIVE updates: Chennai beat Punjab by 9 wickets to sign off with a consolation win

Punjab have been eliminated from the Dream11 IPL 2020 by the virtue of this loss

Chennai are 130/1 after 16 overs

Chennai are 118/1 after 15 overs

Chennai are 100/1 after 12.3 overs

Chennai are 82/1 in the 10th over

Chennai are 69/0 after 8 overs

Chennai are 54/0 after 5.2 overs

Chennai are 44/0 after 5 overs

Chennai are 22/0 after 3 overs

Chennai are 6/0 after 1

Stay Tuned as Chennai's run chase gets underway

Can Chennai finish their campaign with a win?

Punjab are 136/6 after 18.3 overs

Punjab are 129/6 after 18 overs

Punjab are 113/6 after 17.1 overs

Punjab are 108/5 after 16.2 overs

Punjab are 107/4 after 16 overs

Punjab are 95/4 after 15 overs

Punjab are 72/4 after 11.5 overs

Punjab are 68/3 after 10.4 overs

Punjab are 62/2 after 8.3 overs

Punjab are 61/1 after 8 overs

Punjab are 48/1 after 5.2 overs

Punjab are 44/0 after 5 overs

Punjab are 23/0 after 3 overs

Rahul and Agarwal are at the crease. 1st over bowled.

Score - 10/0

Playing XI for both sides -

Punjab: KL Rahul(w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Mandeep Singh, James Neesham, Deepak Hooda, Chris Jordan, Murugan Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami

Chennai: Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), N Jagadeesan, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir

According to Accuweather, the Chennai vs Punjab weather forecast indicates no threat of rain. Temperatures near 32°C are expected during the commencement of the match. Humidity levels during the same period are likely to hover around 35%.

The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium is known for assisting batsmen in the shortest format of the game, with something there for spinners to work with as well. Across 18 Dream11 IPL 2020 matches played at the venue, the average first innings score has been 165. As evidenced from the match results of the tournament in Abu Dhabi, the captain winning the toss is likely to bat second as the Chennai vs Punjab pitch report indicates the surface is more suitable for teams chasing targets.

Their playoffs chances hanging in balance, Punjab will leave no stone unturned as they take on Chennai in a must-win Indian Premier League game here on Sunday. Punjab's chances of a top-four finish took a serious hit after Rajasthan handed them a seven-wicket loss, snapping their impressive five match-winning streak. The defeat means Punjab's fate is not solely in their hands as even a win against Chennai will not ensure them a play-off spot. The Punjab outfit will need other results to go their way.

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If Hyderabad (10 points from 12 games) win both their remaining matches and the loser of the Delhi  (14) and Bangalore (14) game finishes higher on the points table -- either in terms of points or by virtue of a superior net run-rate -- than Punjab, then KL Rahul and his men will not qualify. However, if Hyderabad are beaten in any match, then Punjab, who are currently placed fourth with 12 points from 13 outings with a net run rate of -0.133, will have a good chance of qualifying provided they win against Chennai on Sunday. On the other hand, Chennai, already out of the reckoning for the first time ever, will aim to end their dismal campaign on a positive note.

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The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team, languishing at the bottom of the points table, head into the clash after notching up back-to-back wins over Bangalore and Kolkata. With skipper Rahul, the leading run-scorer of the tournament, and the flamboyant Chris Gayle coming good and the marauding Nicholas Pooran to follow at No 4, Punjab will fancy their chances at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. It remains to be seen if Mayank Agarwal, who has missed three games, returns to the side.

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Punjab's bowling has been instrumental in their recent wins. However, against Rajasthan, they leaked runs and were unable to pick wickets and skipper Rahul will hope his bowlers will be on top of their game against a Chennai side, which cruised to a 10-wicket win in their previous meeting. For Chennai, 23-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad has shown a lot of spark, notching up back-to-back fifties to set up the wins against Bangalore and Kolkata. Ravindra Jadeja has been in fantastic form, smashing boundaries and sixes towards the end of the innings. The Chennai bowling unit, boosted by the inclusion of New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santer, has done well in the previous two outings and will look to keep the momentum going.

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(With PTI inputs)