Both sides are currently outside the top four positions, with only a single win each to their name, along with two defeats each.
Pune, one of the two IPL debutants this season, may offer up the excuse that they have played all three of their games so far away from home. The tournament’s opening fixture at the Wankhede Stadium brought a memorably victory against the reigning Champions, the Mumbai Indians. However, they have since lost by 7-wickets to the unbeaten Gujarat Lions and 6-wickets to the Kings XI Punjab.
The Challengers also opened their season with an emphatic victory, when they posted 227-4 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. They have since twice failed to defend totals. Having posted an imposing 191-5 against the Delhi Daredevils, they couldn’t contain a rampant Quinton de Kock who sashed 108 from just 51 balls.
Whilst not at their best against the Indians, they still managed to score 170-7, however the frail looking bowling attack were never able to get their opponents behind the run rate, allowing the Champions to ease home by 6-wickets with two overs remaining.
Pune may well have received a massive boost with the news that their fixture against the Mumbai Indians can go ahead as scheduled in Pune on ay 1st.
The Bombay High Court having ruled that due to the statewide drought in Maharashtra, all matches after April 30th should be moved outside of the state. However, an appeal by the BCCI has seen the game given the go ahead.
The BCCI’s case was based on the difficulties involved in changing the venue, due to the short turnaround time between Pune’s game against the Gujarat Lions on April 29 and the ay 1st fixture.