Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) delivered a clinical performance, thrashing a disoriented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match on Friday.
Sent to bat first, CSK faltered badly, managing a meager 103/9 in their allotted 20 overs, their lowest-ever total at Chepauk, and the third-lowest in their IPL history.
The Chennai side's woes were compounded by the return of MS Dhoni as captain following an injury to Ruturaj Gaikwad, but Dhoni’s leadership couldn’t spark a turnaround as CSK's batters struggled throughout.
KKR's bowlers showcased exceptional skill, with Sunil Narine leading the charge with impressive figures of 3/13. Pacer Harshit Rana and spinner Varun Chakravarthy backed him up with two wickets apiece, as CSK’s top order was dismantled with ease.
The home side's batters never found rhythm, managing just nine boundaries on a slow, turning pitch.
Shivam Dube’s valiant knock of 31* off 29 balls was the lone bright spot for CSK, with Vijay Shankar contributing 29. The rest of the batting lineup fell apart, failing to reach double figures.
In response, KKR chased down the modest target with ease, wrapping up the victory in just 10.1 overs, 59 balls to spare. Their openers came out with intent, putting the game beyond CSK’s reach early on.
Narine, who took three wickets, also made a significant impact with the bat, blasting 44 runs off just 18 deliveries. By the time he was dismissed on the first ball of the eighth over, KKR were comfortably sitting on 85, needing just 19 more runs to seal the victory.
The victory handed KKR their most comfortable IPL win in recent history, with only their 2021 win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) surpassing this one in terms of margin, when they chased down a target of 93 in just 10 overs.
This marked CSK’s fifth consecutive loss, the first time in IPL history they’ve endured such a streak. The defeat was also their third in a row at Chepauk, a new low for the five-time champions in their home ground’s history.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ