At the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) displayed a well-rounded performance to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Despite KKR’s strong batting line-up, CSK’s bowlers limited them to 137 runs. CSK then showcased a solid batting performance to secure a seven-wicket victory. This marks KKR’s initial loss in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
CSK decided to bowl first and immediately took a wicket on the first ball. Tushar Deshpande got Phil Salt out as he hit the ball straight to Ravindra Jadeja at point. The young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who impressed during KKR’s game against Delhi Capitals (DC), came in to bat with Sunil Narine.
During the following six overs, Narine and Raghuvanshi maintained their batting partnership from Visakhapatnam. They were determined to make the most of the powerplay and displayed some impressive shots. Raghuvanshi’s technical skills were evident in his six straight down the ground. Meanwhile, Narine utilized his unique style to hit three fours and two sixes. As a result, KKR quickly reached a score of 56 in the powerplay and seemed to have their sights set on a high total.
The partnership between Sunil Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been impressive as they continue to perform well with the bat. The two have now scored 50 runs together, with KKR reaching 56/1 at the end of the Powerplay. You can catch the live match on JioCinema and StarSportsIndia on any device. Follow the match for updates.
In that moment, Ravindra Jadeja took center stage and asserted his dominance over the match. Raghuvanshi was sent back to the pavilion on the very first ball of the powerplay, given out leg-before wicket as he attempted a reverse sweep. Shortly after, Narine attempted to hit a big shot over long-off but was caught by Maheesh Theeksana in the deep.
Jadeja took a wicket in the ninth over by dismissing Venkatesh Iyer, who attempted to hit a big shot over mid-wicket but was unable to clear the boundary. This sudden loss of wicket greatly affected KKR, and their captain Shreyas Iyer was left to rebuild the innings. Ramandeep Singh then entered the game with a more aggressive approach and even hit a six off Theeksana in the 12th over, but was then bowled off the following ball.
Scoring runs proved to be a challenge for KKR. Despite Shreyas managing to score the most with 34 runs and staying at the crease, they were unable to gain momentum due to CSK’s tight bowling. Rinku Singh and Andre Russell attempted to boost the run rate towards the end, but were unable to make a significant impact. In an effort to strengthen their batting lineup, KKR even substituted Rinku with Anukul Roy, designated as an Impact Player. However, they could only reach a total of 137 runs for nine wickets. Jadeja concluded an impressive bowling performance by taking his 100th catch in the Tata IPL.
According to some, Jadeja’s performance also motivated the pace bowlers, who struggled during the powerplay while Narine and Raghuvanshi dominated. Tushar Deshpande took three wickets by the end of his spell, while Mustafizur Rahman took two wickets and regained the Purple Cap.
In response, CSK began on a positive note, thanks to the efforts of Rachin Ravindra and Ruturaj Gaikwad. While Ravindra showed promising form with a score of 15, he eventually got out trying to hit over long-on in the fourth over. Gaikwad then took charge and displayed some impressive shots to increase the scoring rate. He cleverly found openings and was quick to take advantage of any attacking opportunities. During the Powerplay, he dominated the strike and by the end of the sixth over, CSK had reached 52 for one.
In the seventh over, Daryl Mitchell kick-started his batting with a six towards the ground from Narine’s delivery. This was quickly followed by a four on the next ball. With this, CSK managed to bring the run rate under control and the two players continued to hit the ball around. Gaikwad reached his half-century in 45 balls, a milestone that marked his first time as captain of CSK.
The 70-run partnership was disrupted by Narine in the 13th over when Mitchell (25) advanced towards the bowler and was dismissed. Shivam Dube entered the field and impressed the audience with some impressive shots – his two consecutive sixes against Varun Chakaravarthy were met with loud cheers from the local supporters. Dube hammered a full delivery over mid-wicket for a six off Vaibhav Arora, bringing CSK close to victory, but his attempt to hit another resulted in him being bowled.
As the MS Chidambaram Stadium erupted in cheers, MS Dhoni entered the field with the team needing only three runs to win. In the 17th over, Dhoni played a dot ball before Ruturaj Gaikwad took a single off the first ball of the next over, allowing Dhoni to take strike. The crowd celebrated as Dhoni scored a single with a flick to square-leg, opening his account. Gaikwad then sealed the victory with a boundary, thanks to his unbeaten 67 which played a crucial role alongside the bowlers’ efforts.