IPL 2019: The potential 2018 finals revenge mission and 4 other things to watch out for as Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Chennai Super Kings

 Sunrisers Hyderabad will be looking to resurrect their campaign when they host the defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Wednesday. The 2016 champions now find themselves at the sixth spot in the points tables after their three consecutive losses. They have only managed six points in their seven games. The 'Orange Army' will be up against a dominant Chennai Super Kings who seem to be unstoppable at the moment.The defending champions CSK are currently undisputed at the summit of the points table after seven wins in eight games with 14 points. 

Here's a look at some of the essential factors which will make this an interesting clash. 

1. Battle between the last year's finalists: Both SRH and CSK will lock horns for the first time after last year's summit clash where CSK went on to win their third IPL title. SRH will be banking on their home advantage to avenge last year's final loss while Chennai will look to continue their dominant run and add another two points in their tally which will help them inch closer to a playoff berth.

2. Suresh Raina's stability at the top: Suresh Raina has been one of CSK's pillars of strength right from the first season. The 'Chinna Thala' anchored CSK's run chase in the last game against Kolkata Knight Riders. The southpaw scored a 42-ball 58 at a strike rate of 138.10 which helped Chennai register their seventh win of the season. 

3. Head-to-head records: CSK have always been dominant over SRH in terms of overall head-to-head records. In the 11 matches that have been played between both sides, CSK have registered nine wins while SRH have only managed just two wins. CSK also have a slight advantage over SRH with a 2-1 record in the three matches that have been played at Hyderabad.

4. Can SRH address their middle order woes?: The 'Orange Army' will be hoping that their middle order will click against CSK. They were bundled out for 96 against Mumbai Indians during their chase of 137. SRH also suffered a dramatic batting collapse during their run chase against Delhi Capitals in the last game where they had lost their last seven wickets for a meagre 15 runs.

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5. Will the Afghan duo make an impact?: SRH will hope that the Afghan duo of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi will make an impact with their stellar all-round performance as the 'Orange Army' look to add two valuable points in their tally.