T&T need win, or slim defeat

Match facts

October 2, 2013
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)

Big Picture

It's easy, if Trinidad & Tobago beat Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, they qualify for the semi-finals. If they don't they will be tied on points with the Titans. T&T are ahead of the Titans on net run-rate, but it is only a marginal advantage. For instance, if they bat first and score around 125, or more, they need to lose with three or lesser balls to spare to qualify. In other words, they should make Super Kings play at least 19.3 overs, or the Titans will go through.

If T&T are chasing, they need to make sure they lose by five or lesser runs to qualify. So whether Super Kings score 50 or 250, all T&T need to do is fall not more than five runs short if they end up losing. Even though T&T have won two of their three games batting first, they may want to chase this time as taking an in-form Super Kings side to the last three balls of the chase might be tougher than getting within five runs of the target themselves.

T&T draw confidence from their progress in the tournament as their totals have ascended from 135 to 160 and then to 188. What they need to work on, is their bowling. Since Ravi Rampaul's four wickets in their tournament opener, against Brisbane Heat, their attack has relied heavily on Sunil Narine's dexterity. As they don't have their fate in their own hands, Titans can only watch from the sidelines and hope for a qualification.

Super Kings are not playing for nothing. Currently at the top of the table, they can still be displaced if they lose heavily to T&T. Much will have to go against Super Kings for that to happen as they have clicked in all departments in the three matches so far. Their opening looks stronger after M Vijay followed his two ducks with a 27-ball 42, Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo and MS Dhoni have torn oppositions apart from the middle order and their slower bowlers made a comeback in their previous match. What needs to be worked on is their pace bowling, and T&T may want to target the fast bowlers in the initial overs as Dhoni has not been opening with R Ashwin in this tournament.

Players to watch

After making headlines in the Caribbean Premier League with a quickfire 54 from 24, 17-year-old Nicolas Pooran has not done much. He has managed scores of 11, 6 and 8 in the tournament and since T&T's middle order has not mustered big scores till now, Pooran is the man they might need to do the job against Super Kings.

Dwayne Bravo was among the top three run-scorers for T&T in the Caribbean T20 with 153 runs at an average of 38.25 and strike rate of over 110. He has also been in fine form recently with four wickets in the tournament and a quickfire 38 against the Titans. However, he will be under the spotlight against his home team now facing the same attack he was a part of and will bowl to the batting line-up he scored with, to win the T20 event earlier this year.